Independent clauses include a subject and predicate, and they can be sentences on their own. Look back at this page for a more in-depth review of clauses.
This page starts by outlining two very common errors connecting independent clauses. It then offers multiple ways of correcting those errors.
A run-on sentence is when two independent clauses are connected without any punctuation.
Incorrect: I enjoyed the beach it was hot outside.
A comma splice is when two independent clauses are connected with a comma. Commas are not strong enough to connect independent clauses on their own.
Incorrect: I enjoyed the beach, it was hot outside.
Here are possible solutions to both those errors. Continue reading below for more depth on all of these.
I enjoyed the beach. It was hot outside. (make them separate sentences)
I enjoyed the beach because it was hot outside. (make one clause dependent)
It was hot outside, so I enjoyed the beach. (use a comma and a coordinating conjunction)
I enjoyed the beach; it was hot outside. (use a semicolon)
It was hot outside; therefore, I enjoyed the beach. (use a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb)
Unlike dependent clauses, independent clauses don't need to be connected to each other. These examples are all grammatically correct, if also a bit choppy.
I was tired. I went to bed early.
He wanted to get a pet cat. He was allergic.
It was hot outside. I enjoyed being at the beach.
Add a subordinating conjunction to one clause (making it dependent) and then connect the two clauses.
I was tired. I went to bed early. → Because I was tired, I went to bed early.
He wanted to get a pet cat. He was allergic. → He wanted to get a pet cat even though he was allergic.
It was hot outside. I enjoyed being at the beach. → I enjoyed being at the beach because it was hot outside.
Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) include For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So. Different coordinating conjunctions show different relationships between the two clauses.
The test was difficult, and the tiger growled at me the whole time. ("And" simply connects two clauses).
He wanted to get a pet cat, but he was allergic. ("But" implies a contrast between the clauses.)
He wanted to get a pet cat, yet his allergies prevented him from doing so. ("Yet," like "but," implies a contrast between the clauses.)
I was tired, so I went to bed early. ("So" implies that the first clause explains the second.)
Grammatically, semicolons function like periods. When used to connect independent clauses, a semicolon can always be replaced by a period; this is a good check to make sure you're using it correctly.
It was hot outside; I enjoyed the beach.
I didn’t study enough; the test was difficult.
You can also add a conjunctive adverb after the semicolon to clarify the connection between the two clauses. See this page for more information about conjunctive adverbs.
It was hot outside; therefore, I enjoyed the beach.
He wanted to get a pet cat; however, he was allergic.