Comma Faults

[VanClash]

So, I'm addicted to commas, I love them a lot. But last night, I was flicking through a grammar book and I came across comma faults. I use commas a lot in my writing, and I am struggling to really understand where the comma faults are and where the comma faults aren't. I am desperate to understand them because commas are very predominant in my work, so this might mean re-writing like every second sentence.

I understand that a comma fault occurs when just a comma is placed between two clauses. I quickly scratched up this example.


"The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion, this place was horrible."

If I'm not mistaken, the comma split two clauses, because "This place was horrible" could in fact stand alone.

So from where I stand, I see the following options.

1.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion. This place was horrible.

2.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion; this place was horrible.

3.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion, and this place was horrible.

But in my opinion, the "and this place was horrible" doesn't flow correctly.

I have seen word try to correct my work to place ands in where there are noticeably comma faults.
"The outer-lands were my new home now, I was in the wild out here, I was free. " was corrected to "The outer-lands were my new home now, I was in the wild out here, and I was free." Would you suspect that all of the comma faults word picks up are the only comma faults?

Is this right, or is all of my ideas surrounding comma faults incorrect? Does my example even suffer from a comma fault?

Thanks in advance,
VanClash

 

[BWFoster78]

If I'm understanding your post correctly, I'd say you're on the right track.

I would not, however, trust Word to pick up all your problems. It's just not that reliable. Sorry.

 

[Penpilot]

I'm no comma expert but a general rule of thumb is that it's better to leave a comma out rather than use it incorrectly.

As for your example. Yes that's a comma splice. And I do agree the two sentences connected by the and doesn't flow very well. But the reason for that is because that second sentence doesn't flow off the first. If you want it to flow you'll have to reword and restructure the second sentence, and maybe the first too, instead of trying to force things.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

First off, MS Word is helpful but it's certainly not the end-all-be-all of writing & grammar.

What we are seeing of your work, and therefore your concern, is very limited. In light of this, it may be hard to draw any conclusions and offer any help. I can only offer my opinion based off of what I read from your post.

It seems to me as if you are using commas where periods, and completely different sentences, may be a better choice. In creative writing I try to steer away from coordinating conjunctions (and, but, yet, so, etc.). They are technically proper though. There's also the use of semicolons to join clauses. I tend to avoid their use as well.

 

[VanClash]

It seems to me as if you are using commas where periods, and completely different sentences, may be a better choice. In creative writing I try to steer away from coordinating conjunctions (and, but, yet, so, etc.). They are technically proper though. There's also the use of semicolons to join clauses. I tend to avoid their use as well.

I have to agree, looking back through my work I feel that I am too reliant on commas. I'll probably put up some work on the showcase soon (after I've corrected the outstanding comma faults first).

 

[Anders Ämting]

1.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion. This place was horrible.

2.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion; this place was horrible.

3.) The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion, and this place was horrible.

Number 1 is the correct one. Alternatives would be:

"The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion: This place was horrible."

Or:

"The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion - this place was horrible."

I have a tendency to use dashes for this sort of thing but just going for a simple period is probably neater.

But in my opinion, the "and this place was horrible" doesn't flow correctly.

It's because the wording implies "this place" isn't the same place as "the rocky mountains."

A more correct way to write it would be: "The rocky mountains shot through the landscape in a terribly rickety fashion, and they were horrible."

("They were" can be substituted for "it was" or "that was.")

I have seen word try to correct my work to place ands in where there are noticeably comma faults.
"The outer-lands were my new home now, I was in the wild out here, I was free. " was corrected to "The outer-lands were my new home now, I was in the wild out here, and I was free."

Why not just write:

"The outer-lands were my new home now. I was in the wild out here and I was free."

Like, why does that statement even need commas? It seems to me that your main problem is using way too many unnecessary commas.

 

[BWFoster78]

Number 1 is the correct one. Alternatives would be:

Actually, all the alternatives are grammatically correct.

 

[SeverinR]

Alittle humor to share:

a female friend of my daughter posted on facebook:
I am so tired, I wish I could fall into a comma.
I replied, but sadly all you get is a period.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I've had the same problem. My understanding these days is that commas should be used when it's a simple pause between two parts of the same sentence communicating the same message. So for your example, where once I would have used a comma, I would now either use a semi colon or a full stop. Since I find it confusing to use the former, and both clauses are or can be complete sentences in their own right, I'd probably choose the full stop.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Anthony]

If your not sure about the sentence i would take the simple route you know to be right. Which for me is option 1. I dont feel you would lose anything in terms of the quality of the writing. I disagree with word on many occasions in regards to their checks also. This is especially evident when writing in first person perspective. People dont always think in a grammatically correct manner.

 

[Filk]

The Copyeditor's Handbook. Get it and use it. It is my bible. Sorry to be so demanding, but I find it to be one of the best grammar sources out there and it should answer any and all questions you should have.