Sentence Fragments
What is a Sentence
Fragment?
• A sentence fragment is a phrase
or clause that is punctuated as
a sentence but is not a
grammatical sentence because
it does not express a complete
thought.
Sentence Fragment
Example:
Got a job in the post office during
Christmas vacation.
Correct answer :
My nephew got a job at the post office
during Christmas vacation.
The reason why it is corrected
this way is because a subject
was a added in front of the
verb.
Independent Clause!
What is an Independent
Clause?
• An independent clause is a
group of words that contains a
subject and verb, expresses a
complete thought, and can be
punctuated as a complete
sentence.
Independent Clause
Example:
Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his
chemistry quiz
A period can be added to this
independent clause make it a complete
sentence.
Dependent Clause!
What is a Dependent
Clause?
• A dependent clause is a group
of words that contains a subject
and verb but does not express a
complete thought and is not a
complete sentence.
Dependent Clause
Example:
The trial court's ruling constituted a
final order. Although it could be
reversed on appeal.
Correct answer: The trial court's ruling
constituted a final order, although it could
be reversed on appeal.
Types of Sentence
Fragments !
What
?
Three different types of
Sentence Fragments
• Renamers- These fragments rename
and give further information about
nouns.
• Example: While gardening, Erin dug
up a plant that had taken over the
yard. An English ivy.
• Correct answer: While gardening,
Erin dug up a plant that had taken
over the yard, an English ivy.
Dependent word
fragments
Some word groups that begin with a
dependent word are fragments.
Following is a list of common
dependent words.
Dependent words:
After
although , though
as
because
even though
how
In the example below, the word group
beginning with the dependent word
“After” is a fragment
example:
after I washed my car. I treated my
self to lunch.
A dependent statement- one starting
with a dependent word like aftercannot stand alone. It depends on
another statement to complete the
thought. After I wash my car is a
dependent statement. It leaves us
hanging. We expect to find out, in the
same sentence, what happened
“after.”
How to correct a dependent- word
fragment.
-In most cases you can correct
a dependent- word fragment by
attaching it to the sentence that
comes after it or to the sentence that
comes before it.
There are two ways to correct the
fragments
1st, After I wash my car, I treated my
self to lunch.
Another way of correcting a
dependent- word fragment is simply to
eliminate the dependent word by
rewriting the sentence2nd I washed my car and then treated
my self to lunch.
Cont.
• Adverb Fragment - Includes a word
(such as because, if, when,
whenever, although, which) that
makes a word group unable to stand
alone.
• Example: Whenever he goes outside.
He takes a photograph.
• Correct answer: Whenever he goes
outside, he takes a photograph.
ING- Word Fragments
-Beginning a sentence with an -ing
word will often to set you up for a
sentence fragments.
Example of -ing word fragment
After the redskins won the
championship, the fans celebrated.
Dancing in the streets.
Corrected:
After the Redskins won the
championship, the fans celebrated,
dancing in the streets.
Or
After the Redskins won the
championship, the fans celebrated.
They were dancing in the streets.
The trouble with the – ing verb
is that are not a complete verb.
They need helper to make them complete. if
you find that you have a fragment due to an ing verb, you can either attach the
fragment to the sentence before
or after, or you can add the missing words to
complete the sentence.
Cont.
• --Ing Fragment - Forms a verb and
also explains something about the
proceeding sentence.
• Example: Tyler goes to the gym
every day. Exercising for an hour.
• Correct answer: Tyler goes to the
gym every day, exercising for an
hour.
Added-Details Fragments
Added- detail fragments lack a
subject and a verb. Here is a list of
words to watch out for.
-Also
-including
-especially
-except
-such as
-for example
-like
Underline the one added-detail
fragment in each of the following
items.
Examples 1:
-Before a race, I eat starchy foods.
Such as bread and spaghetti.
Corrected:
-Attach the Fragments to the
complete thought that precedes it.
“ Before a race, I eat starchy foods
such as bread and spaghetti.”
Example 2
- Edward is taking a night course in
computer programming. Also, one in
computer technologyu. He wants to
save money on computer repairs.
Corrected:
-Add a subject and a verb to the
fragment to make it a complete
sentence.
“Edward is taking a night course in
computer programming. Also, he is
taking one in computer technology.”
Example 3
-My sister keeps several pets in her
room. Including hamsters and mice
corrected:
-Insert the fragments within the
preceding sentence.
“My sister keeps several pets,
including hamsters and mice, in her
room.
Websites:
http://www.kentlaw.edu/academics/lrw/grinker/LwtaDep
endant_Clauses_and_Phrases.htm
http://cwl.oregonstate.edu/h-frag.html
http://www.mpcfaculty.net/essc/classes/eng301/301
handouts/301%20Lab%202%20Handout.pdf