Final answer:
A comma splice is always an error, typically corrected by using a semicolon or by adding a coordinating or subordinate conjunction. An independent clause can start with various elements and should not be joined by a comma alone.
Step-by-step explanation:
An independent clause can start with various elements, including a subject and verb that express a complete thought. However, when a comma alone is used to separate independent clauses, the result is a comma splice, which is always considered a grammatical error. The easiest way to fix a comma splice is with a semicolon, which can appropriately separate two related independent clauses without additional conjunctions. A comma splice can also be fixed by adding a coordinating conjunction or by turning one of the clauses into a subordinate clause using a subordinate conjunction.
Example of fixing a comma splice with a semicolon:
Original: It rained heavily during the afternoon, but we still managed to have a picnic.
Corrected: It rained heavily during the afternoon; we still managed to have a picnic.
Example of fixing a comma splice with a coordinating conjunction:
Original: This peach is way beyond ripe, I refuse to pay for it.
Corrected: This peach is way beyond ripe, and I refuse to pay for it.