RUN-ONS AND COMMA SPLICES
Run-ons occur when two or more independent clauses are joined with no connecting words or punctuation.
All our mail is run through a postage meter every afternoon someone picks it up.
To correct the error, find where the sentence should be separated and do one of the following:
● Add a comma and a coordinating conjunction between the independent clauses.
All our mail is run through a postage meter, and every afternoon someone picks it up.
Or
All our mail is run through a postage meter every afternoon, and someone picks it up.
● Add a semi-colon between the independent clauses and do not capitalize the next word (unless it’s a proper noun).
All our mail is run through a postage meter; every afternoon someone picks it up.
● Change one of the independent clauses so that it becomes a phrase or a dependent clause. This remedy often produces the best writing, but it takes more work.
After our mail is run through a postage meter, someone picks it up in the afternoon.
A comma splice occurs when the independent clauses are separated by a comma, which doesn’t eliminate the problem. You could substitute the comma with a semicolon or make one of the suggested changes above to correct the error.