©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form AWriters, Form A

John LanganJohn Langan

FragmentsFragments

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• A A sentence fragmentsentence fragment is a group of is a group of words that is punctuated as a sentence but is not words that is punctuated as a sentence but is not grammatically correct.grammatically correct.

• A sentence fragment may lack a A sentence fragment may lack a subject,, a a verb,, or an or an independent clause..

– The wind velocity in hurricanes and The wind velocity in hurricanes and monsoons.monsoons.

– The winds raging in hurricanes and The winds raging in hurricanes and monsoons.monsoons.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Locate the Locate the subjectsubject..

• Locate the Locate the verb.verb.– Inspires many poets and song Inspires many poets and song

writers.writers. (This lacks a subject.)(This lacks a subject.)

– The pleasant weather of May.The pleasant weather of May. (This (This lacks a verb.)lacks a verb.)

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Verb phrase:– To take advantage of To take advantage of

sunlight in photography.sunlight in photography.

• Prepositional phrase:– Within the eye of the Within the eye of the

hurricane.hurricane.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Noun phrase:Noun phrase:– Various theories for weather Various theories for weather

forecasting.forecasting.

• Appositive phrase:Appositive phrase:– One popular weather topic, One popular weather topic,

el Niño.el Niño.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• A clause that begins with a A clause that begins with a subordinator (or(or dependent word) is a) is a dependent clause.

• These examples These examples are notare not independent clauses.

•If a tornado sweeps across the plains.

•Because snow is beautiful in the moonlight.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Look for Look for relative pronounsrelative pronouns..

• Relative pronounsRelative pronouns introduce clauses introduce clauses that modify that modify nouns or or pronouns (who, which, (who, which, that).that).– The instructor who argued against The instructor who argued against

class cancellations for snow.class cancellations for snow.

• Revised:Revised:The instructor who argued The instructor who argued against class cancellations for against class cancellations for snow was very unrealistic.snow was very unrealistic.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Although relative clause fragments have both Although relative clause fragments have both a subject and a verb, they cannot stand alone.a subject and a verb, they cannot stand alone.

– Bob who intends to buy a small Bob who intends to buy a small tractor and a plow.tractor and a plow.

• Revised:Revised: Bob, who intends to buy a Bob, who intends to buy a small tractor and a plow, thinks he small tractor and a plow, thinks he will earn money removing snow will earn money removing snow this winter.this winter.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Combine the fragment with the sentence that Combine the fragment with the sentence that precedes it or with the sentence that follows it.precedes it or with the sentence that follows it.–Dramatic weather conditions do not always

cause disasters. But at times create beautiful situations as well.

– Correction:Correction: Dramatic weather conditions do not always cause disasters but at times create beautiful situations.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• The jet stream can pull cold air The jet stream can pull cold air down from Canada. Or bring down from Canada. Or bring warm air up from Mexico.warm air up from Mexico.

• The jet stream can pull cold air down from Canada or bring warm air up from Mexico.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Dependent clause fragments begin with Dependent clause fragments begin with a a subordinating conjunction (because, (because, since, before).since, before).

• Although air traffic controllers Although air traffic controllers regulate flight patterns.regulate flight patterns.– Corrected:Corrected: Although air traffic

controllers regulate traffic patterns, they cannot control the weather.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• Be aware of situations that can lead to sentence fragments.– Examine a sentence that begins with a Examine a sentence that begins with a

subordinating word.•Because hail fell on the peach blossoms.Because hail fell on the peach blossoms.

– Carefully select Carefully select transitional wordstransitional words or or phrasesphrases which introduce examples or a list.which introduce examples or a list.•For example, floods, hurricanes, and For example, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes.tornadoes.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. (Click to see the answer.)

My Aunt MarieMy Aunt Mariebeing a good being a good cookcook.Fragment

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

She can spend She can spend hours readinghours readinga cook book.a cook book.CorrectCorrect

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

Although sheAlthough she says that shesays that she doesn’tdoesn’tlike to read.like to read.

Fragment

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

Fragment

Special dessertsSpecial dessertssuch as pecan pies,such as pecan pies,chocolate cheese-chocolate cheese-cakes, and pumpkin cakes, and pumpkin cake roll.cake roll.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

Aunt Marie’s Aunt Marie’s desserts are notdesserts are notfor those who are for those who are watching their diet.watching their diet.

CorrectCorrect

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

Filled with cream and Filled with cream and sugar, these delicacies sugar, these delicacies contain hundredscontain hundredsof calories.of calories.

CorrectCorrect

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

It often seems It often seems that any food that any food item that tastesitem that tastesgood is fattening.good is fattening.

CorrectCorrect

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E

Fragments

©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Decide whether each sentenceDecide whether each sentencegroup is a correct sentence orgroup is a correct sentence orif it is a sentence fragment.if it is a sentence fragment.

For example,For example,ice cream and ice cream and chocolate cake.chocolate cake.Fragment