What is the difference between a run on and comma splice?

Both run-on sentences and comma splices are grammatical errors that occur when two independent clauses (clauses that could stand alone as sentences) are incorrectly joined together. Here's the breakdown:

Run-on Sentence:

* Definition: Two or more independent clauses are joined without any punctuation or connecting word.

* Example: The dog barked loudly the cat ran away.

* Fix:

* Use a period: The dog barked loudly. The cat ran away.

* Use a semicolon: The dog barked loudly; the cat ran away.

* Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet): The dog barked loudly, and the cat ran away.

Comma Splice:

* Definition: Two independent clauses are joined only by a comma.

* Example: The dog barked loudly, the cat ran away.

* Fix: Use the same methods for fixing a run-on sentence.

Key Difference:

The key difference lies in the presence or absence of a comma. A comma splice uses a comma to join the clauses, while a run-on sentence doesn't use any punctuation at all.

In essence, a comma splice is a type of run-on sentence. They both represent a grammatical error, but a comma splice is a more specific type of error that uses a comma incorrectly.

Here's a table summarizing the difference:

| Feature | Run-on Sentence | Comma Splice |

|---|---|---|

| Punctuation | No punctuation | Only a comma |

| Type of Error | General error in joining clauses | Specific type of run-on sentence |

| Example | The dog barked loudly the cat ran away. | The dog barked loudly, the cat ran away. |

Remember: The key to avoiding these errors is to ensure that independent clauses are properly separated or connected using the correct punctuation and conjunctions.