It can get confusing when deciding which punctuation to use when joining two sentences. Most kids go with a comma and hope for the best. We’ve found that, once they understand the why behind the appropriate choice, they find it very easy to select the one that fits their needs.
What is a sentence?
Before you can join two sentences properly, you need to know what is and is not a sentence.
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. It has a subject (what or who) and a predicate (did something). And, it usually starts with a capital letter and ends with a punctuation mark.
Sentences: The dog ate my hat. The bus is late. Let’s eat cake!
Comma vs Semicolon
Consider the comma (,) and the semicolon (;).
Comma
A comma is a valid choice for joining two complete sentences ONLY IF the comma is used along with one of the FANBOYS. FANBOYS [for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so] always follow a comma.
No FANBOYS, no comma. It’s as simple as that.
Incorrect: I love baseball, we went to a game.
Correct: I love baseball, so we went to a game.
Semicolon
A semicolon is a valid choice for joining two complete sentences ONLY IF the sentences are closely related statements. When using a semicolon, the first letter after the semicolon is in lower case.
Incorrect: I love baseball; We went to a game.
Correct: I love baseball; we went to a game.
Bottom Line
When your kid comes to you wondering why the teacher wrote “comma splice” in the margin, you can explain that it is because they used a comma without one of the FANBOYS. When they ask when to use a semicolon, you can use the example above. You can also contact us for an assist!