Fragment Study Sheet
Be ready for the quiz on fragments. Study chapter 5 on fragments starting on page 82 in Sentence Skills
with Readings.
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About fragments: Know the different types of fragments in your textbook. Be able to see the
difference between a to-fragment, which is a infinitive verb, and a to-prepositional phrase
fragment which as a noun as the object of the preposition. The key to Fragments is to know
when to use a comma and when to not use a comma when attaching the fragment to the
independent clause.
Be able to tell the difference between a fragment and an independent clause, know the
different types of fragments, and know when to join fragments to an independent clause with a
comma or without a comma
Always use a comma if the fragment comes before the independent clause. In most cases, you
should not use a comma if the fragment comes after the independent clause. For the purpose of
the study sheet, well call that the common way.
1. Prepositional-phrase fragments work the common way. (Know your prepositions on page 72.)
2. Dependent-clause fragments work the common way. (Know your dependent words.)
3. To-fragments work the common way. (know your infinitives.)
4. Ing-fragments do NOT work the common way. Ing-fragments get commas if the fragment comes
before the independent clause, and they usually get commas if the ing-phrase comes after the
independent clause, too. (Know your present participles.)
5. Ed-fragments do NOT work the common way. Ed-fragments always get commas if they come before
the independent clause, and usually get commas if they come after the independent clause. (Know your
past participles.)
6. Added detail fragments do NOT work the common way. They get commas whether they come before
or after the independent clause. The exception is the word "except," which doesn't have to get a comma
if it comes after the independent clause. The choice is yours when the except-added detail comes after.
(Know your added-detail words "also," "except," "including," "especially," "for example," and "such as.")
7. The missing subject fragments usually only come after the independent clause and do not get
commas when joining with a FANBOYS like "and." However, they do get commas if joined by an
transitional word (adverbial conjunction) like "then."
We went to a move. And dinner.
We went to a movie and dinner.
We went to a movie. Then dinner.
We went to a movie, then dinner.