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 fragmentexample:after I washed my car. I treated my self to lunch.A dependent statement- one starting with a dependent word like after- cannot 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 fragments1st, 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 sentence-2nd 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 verbis 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 thefragment 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-detailfragment 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 incomputer 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 incomputer programming. Also, he is taking one in computer technology.”

Example 3

-My sister keeps several pets in her room. Including hamsters and micecorrected: -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/LwtaDependant_Clauses_and_Phrases.htm

http://cwl.oregonstate.edu/h-frag.html

http://www.mpcfaculty.net/essc/classes/eng301/301handouts/301%20Lab%202%20Handout.pdf