SENTENCE FRAGMENTS



SENTENCE FRAGMENTS

The cues that signal a sentence are:

• capital letter at the beginning

• period (question mark, exclamation point) at the end

The readers and writer agree on these being the signals that indicate a sentence has been written. A group of words that is punctuated in this way—as if it’s a sentence—but is missing one of the essential three parts (subject, verb, complete thought), is called a sentence fragment.

A SENTENCE FRAGMENT DOES NOT EQUAL A SHORT SENTENCE!

Ex. Jack watches television. = a short sentence

Ex. When Jack watches television. = a fragment

3 COMMON TYPES OF FRAGMENTS

1) Dependent fragment

The difference between the two groups of words above is the addition of the word “when.” “When” is a dependent word that signals a dependent clause (DC) or group of words with a subject and verb that cannot stand on its own. A dependent clause must be attached to a stand-alone sentence or independent clause (IC) —in order to make sense.

DC IC

Ex. When Jack watches television, he always turns up the volume. = correct sentence

2) –ING phrase fragment

Ex. Flipping through the channels. = fragment

A phrase is a group of words that is missing either a subject or verb. Unlike a clause, a phrase can NEVER stand on its own as a sentence, but it can be used as part of a sentence to provide additional information.

Like the dependent fragment, an ING fragment must be attached to an independent clause in order to make sense and be considered a correct sentence.

ING phrase IC

Ex. Flipping through the channels, Jack searched for a good show. = correct sentence

NOTE: IF an ING form of a verb is not preceded by a form of “to be,” it is part of a descriptive ING phrase, NOT the verb of the sentence.

Ex. Jack is flipping through the channels. = Correct sentence

“Is flipping” is the main verb phrase

Ex. Jack flipping through the channels. = Fragment

Ex. Jack, flipping through the channels, found a good show. = Correct sentence

3) Added Detail Fragment

These fragments are descriptive phrases that usually begin with these signal words:

• Especially

• Such as

• Like

• Including

• Except

• For example

• For instance

Ex. Especially HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN. = Added detail fragment

Added detail fragments are usually attached to the sentence before in order to make sense.

Ex. Jack loves the cable channels, especially HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN. = correct sentence

IDENTIFYING FRAGMENTS

• Always read through your writing and look for any sentences beginning with a dependent word, an ING word, or an added detail signal.

• If a sentence begins with such a word, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve written a fragment; it just means that you have to double check that you didn’t put the period too soon, before you got to the stand-alone part of the sentence.

• Another possible tactic for identifying fragments is to read your paper aloud from last sentence to first. It’s usually easier to detect fragments when you read in reverse.

Dependent Words

before after even though although until that

since when because if as in order

that unless wherever whether which

while who/whose

Added Detail Signals

such as including except

for instance especially

for example like

Identifying fragments is only step one; then you have to correct them.

CORRECTING FRAGMENTS

• Generally all you need to do to correct a fragment is to attach it to the sentence that comes before or after it. You change the punctuation by either removing the period or changing it to a comma.

• If an ING phrase or dependent clause appears at the beginning of a sentence, you put a comma after it. If it appears at the end of the sentence, you don’t need to put a comma before it.

Ex. When Jack watches television, he always turns up the volume.

Ex. Jack always turns up the volume when he watches television.

• Added detail fragments are corrected in the same way, although they usually do have a comma before them.

Ex. Jack watches cable channels. Including HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN. = incorrect

Ex. Jack watches cable channels, including HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN. = correct

• One exception is to add a verb to the added detail fragment to make it a complete sentence. This usually works best with “for example” or “for instance” fragments.

Ex. Jack watches cable channels. For example, HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN. = incorrect

S V

Ex. Jack prefers cable channels. For example, HBO, Comedy Central, and ESPN are among his favorites. = correct

• Remember if you want to vary your sentences, you can reverse the order of dependent and independent clauses or phrases as long as the meaning remains the same:

IC DC

Ex. Jack watches television until he goes to bed.

DC IC

Ex. Until Jack goes to bed, he watches television.

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