Examples

Follow the steps in each example to determine if the sentence has a comma splice.

1. Social communities have been recognized among humans for thousands of years, within the last century, humans have become aware of social communities among other animals.

   Step 1. The subject and verb of the first clause are Social communities have been recognized. The subject and verb of the second clause are humans have become aware.
   Step 2. Both of the clauses are independent clauses.
   Step 3. The independent clauses are as follows: Social communities have been recognized among humans for thousands of years, | within the last century, humans have become aware of social communities among other animals.
   Step 4. Fix the comma splice by separating the clauses with a period: Social communities have been recognized among humans for thousands of years. Within the last century, humans have become aware of social communities among other animals.

2. Researchers have concluded that primates, especially monkeys, have relatively sophisticated methods of communication, they employ different sounds to signal different meanings.

   Step 1. The subject and verb of the first clause are Researchers have concluded. The subject and verb of the second clause are they employ.
   Step 2. Both of the clauses are independent clauses.
   Step 3. The independent clauses are as follows: Researchers have concluded that primates, especially monkeys, have relatively sophisticated methods of communication, | they employ different sounds to signal different meanings.
   Step 4. Fix the comma splice by separating the clauses with a period: Researchers have concluded that primates, especially monkeys, have relatively sophisticated methods of communication. They employ different sounds to signal different meanings.

3. Because warning calls are recognizably different from calls indicating the approach of another monkey, researchers believe that primates' "language" is based on survival skills.

   Step 1. The subject and the verb of the first clause are warning calls are. The subject and verb of the second clause are researchers believe.
   Step 2. The first clause is a dependent clause because it includes the word because; therefore, the sentence does not contain a comma splice.

4. There is also a hierarchy among members of monkey groups, especially among vervet monkeys.

   Step 1. The sentence contains only one clause, whose subject and verb are There is. Since the sentence contains only one clause, it cannot contain a comma splice.

5. Vervets identify themselves according to family, community, and social rank, their behavior is governed by a system of social relationships.

   Step 1. The subject and verb of the first clause are Vervets identify. The subject and verb of the second clause are their behavior is.
   Step 2. Both of the clauses are independent clauses.
   Step 3. The independent clauses are as follows: Vervets identify themselves according to family, community, and social rank, | their behavior is governed by a system of social relationships.
   Step 4. Fix the comma splice by joining the clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction: Vervets identify themselves according to family, community, and social rank, and their behavior is governed by a system of social relationships.