Identify the comma splice.

• A. She loves to read, she writes every night.
• B. She loves to read; she writes every night.
• C. She loves to read, and she writes every night.
• D. She loves to read, she writes every night.

Answer: (D)

A comma splice happens when two independent clauses are joined with just a comma. Here, two complete thoughts stand side by side: “She loves to read” and “she writes every night.” Because they can each stand on their own, linking them with only a comma creates a run-on feel rather than a clear, correct sentence.

To fix it, you can join the clauses with a semicolon: “She loves to read; she writes every night.” Or use a coordinating conjunction: “She loves to read, and she writes every night.” You could also make them two separate sentences: “She loves to read. She writes every night.”

Other options in the set show correct ways to connect the ideas (via a semicolon or a conjunction) or simply split into two sentences, so they don’t illustrate a comma splice. The sentence given demonstrates the splice because it pairs two independent clauses with only a comma.