Original sentence: "Take a close look at the spots and stripes, find a matching animal!"
What’s the problem? This joins two commands with a comma. That’s called a comma splice. We need to separate the two commands or connect them correctly.
Three easy fixes:
- Make two sentences: Take a close look at the spots and stripes. Find a matching animal!
- Use "and" to join them: Take a close look at the spots and stripes and find a matching animal!
- Use a shorter, kid-friendly version: Look closely at the spots and stripes. Find the animal that matches!
Which is best for a 7-year-old? The third option is simple and clear: Look closely at the spots and stripes. Find the animal that matches! The exclamation mark is fine if you want it to sound excited.
Try it: Read the corrected sentence out loud to hear how it sounds. If it feels like two instructions, use a period or "and" to join them.