SENTENCE
BOUNDARIES
By: Erin, Jennifer, Jill, Heather
FRAGMENTS
“A sentence fragment is an incomplete
sentence”
( Harris 34).
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“To recognize a fragment consider the basic
requirements of a sentence” ( Harris 34).
1. “A sentence is a group of words with at least one
independent clause” ( Harris 34).
2. An independent clause has a subject and verb and
expresses a complete thought.
3. “An independent clause can stand alone as a
thought, even though it may need other sentences
before and after to clarify the thoughts being
expressed” ( Harris 34).
3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRAGMENTS
3 types of fragments that can’t stand
alone!
 Subordinate
Conjunction Fragments
 Verbal
Fragments
 Added
Information Fragments
VERBAL FRAGMENTS
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When a verb form is used as a different function. One type of
verbal ends in ing or ed, while another verbal form is marked
by a to before the verb (walking, walked, to walk; using,
used, to use; carrying, carried, to carry).”
EXAMPLES:
NO: Walking the dog in the sunshine while birds sing and cats
gambol.
YES: I walk the dog in the sunshine while birds sing and cats
gambol.
NO: A hat can serve many purposes. Used to protect balding
heads from sunburn.
YES: Used for anything from adding flair to a wardrobe to
protecting balding heads from the sun, a hat can serve many
purposes.
NO: To carry the ball, the bat, the bag, and the cat into the
house.
YES: He is trying to carry the ball, the bat, the bag, and the
cat into the house.
SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTION FRAGMENTS

“A word group that begins with a subordinate conjunction
cannot stand alone as a sentence, but must be attached to an
independent clause, a word group that can stand alone. Watch for
these common subordinate conjunctions.”
Examples:
AFTER
ALTHOUGH
AS(AS IF)
BECAUSE
BEFORE
EVEN
HOW
IF
IN ORDER
THAT
RATHER
THAN
SINCE
SO THAT
THAN
THAT
THOUGH
WHILE
UNLESS
UNTIL
WHEN
WHERE
WHICH
WHO
WHOM
WHOSE
WHY
EXAMPLES OF SUBORDINATECONJUNCTIONS FRAGMENTS
Complete Sentence: Heather and Jennifer
completed their project.
 Subordinator: When Heather and Jennifer
completed their project. (sentence fragment)

Complete Sentence: The dog and cat played with
the ball of string.
 Subordinator: Since the dog and cat played with
the ball of string

ADDED DETAIL FRAGMENTS

“An added detail fragment usually gives more information
about the previous sentence. These fragments often begin with
one of these words:”
For example
Including
Also
Such As
Except
Especially
Examples:
NO: Some pets are expensive to maintain. For
example, the horse.
YES: Some pets are expensive to maintain. Horses, for
example, must be boarded.
YES: Some pets are expensive to maintain, for example,
the horse.

PROOFREADING FOR FRAGMENTS
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For misplaced-period fragments, read your paper
backwards (from last sentence to the first),
taking each sentence out of its context to check
for completeness.
Look for marker words, which are usually found
at the beginning of the clause to finish the
thought.

Marker Words“subordinators” such as after, although, because, before,
during, if, since, unless, when, while
 “ing” words
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RUN-ONS
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“A run-on is a sentence that connects two independent clauses
without any punctuation. One type of run-on contains two
independent clauses laid side-by-side. These can be hard to
spot, but reading the writing aloud helps you hear which word
groups belong together.”
Look for the coordinating conjunctions, the “joining
words” (mnemonic: FANBOYS)
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
EXAMPLES OF RUN-ONS
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NO: Humor is universal among cultures what
counts as funny differs from culture to culture.
YES: Humor is universal among cultures. What
counts as funny differs from culture to culture.
NO: Gestures are a common form of
communication to everyone but they are essential
among the hearing impaired.
YES: Gestures are a common form of
communication to everyone, but they are
essential among the hearing impaired.
COMMA SPLICES

“When two independent clauses are joined (or spliced)
together with a comma, the error is called a comma
splice. This error most commonly occurs when a compound
sentence contains an adverb that often appears between
two independent clauses. Watch for the following adverbs
which often (not always) signal two independent clauses.”
Additionally
Consequently
Furthermore
Hence
However
Instead
Moreover
Neverthele
ss
Otherwise
Rather
Still
Then
Therefore
Thus
EXAMPLES OF COMMA SPLICES
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NO: I went to the store to buy bananas however, they
were out.
YES: I went to the store to buy bananas; however,
they were out.
NO: She was planning on walking to work, instead,
she drove her car.
YES: She was planning on walking to work; instead,
she drove her car.
PROOFREADING FOR COMMA SPLICES AND
RUN ON SENTENCES
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Cover all the words on one side of the comma to
see if the words remaining constitute an
independent clause (a simple sentence).
Then cover that clause, and uncover all the words
on the other side of the comma. If the structures
on both sides of the comma are independent
clauses, you have written a comma splice and
should correct it.
WORKS CITED
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Harris, Muriel. The Writer’s FAQs: A Pocket
Handbook. 3rd Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson,
2007.
“Sentence Boundaries: Fragments.” Writing Center of
Western Washington University. 2 July 2008
<http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/writingcenter/Handou
ts/Sentence_Boundries.htm#frag>.
“Comma Splices and Fused Sentences.” Centers for
Writers. 7 July 2008
<http://www.cameron.edu/~carolynk/comma_splices.h
tml>.