Avoiding Sentence Fragments

Making Sure Your Sentences Are

Complete

Chapter 4, pg 74

Talking in fragments Many times, when we speak, we

use fragments.

However, when we write (unless we are directly quoting a conversation), we need to formalize the writing.

Complete Sentences To be complete, a sentence must have

a subjectand

a verband

express a completed idea.

Note: It has a capital letter at the beginning and punctuation such as a period, exclamation point or question mark at the end. (= full stop)

Example:

•My homework is taking every waking hour. Complete sentence!

INCLUDES •Subject (My homework)•Verb (is taking)

and•Expresses a complete idea (I’m tired!)

So all you have to remember is:

A sentence is not complete or correct, unless

It has a subject, it has a verb, and it expresses a completed idea.

Fragment

A Fragment is piece of a sentence

can be missing a subject, can be missing a verb, or can fail to express a completed idea.

Fragments

The architect to my office. No VERB: Doesn’t express the action

Brought the plans to my office. No SUBJECT: Doesn’t explain who or what

No COMPLETED IDEA. Brought what?

The architect brought.

Understanding Fragments (Exercise 2, pg 77)

1. returned to the river No subject: Doesn’t explain who or what

2. a bird on the oak branch No verb: Doesn’t express the action

Missing subject AND the verb3. between the island and the main land

Identify if the subject, verb, both, or if the statement does not reflect a complete thought.

Correcting a Fragment

1. Add the missing part(s)

OR

2. Join the fragment to the sentence.

Phrases A phrase is a group of words

belonging together but lacking one or more of the three elements necessary for a sentence.

Phrases (pg 80)

Noun phrase – a noun with all of its modifiersPrepositional phrase – a preposition+ its modifiers

Verb phrase – a main verb with its helping verbs/modifiers

Infinitive phrase – the word “to”+verb + other words completing the phrase.

Participial Phrase – a present or past participle and the other words that complete the phrase.

Gerund phrase – present participle and the other words that complete the phrase

Common Fragment TypesAPPOSITIVE PHRASE: Words that

explain or add extra information

I tried everything I could think of to get an A. Such as bribing the professor.

I tried everything I could think of to get an A, such as bribing the professor.

FRAGMENT

Correct

Common Fragment Types

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE I hope to complete the requirements for

my major. By the end of next semester.

I hope to complete the requirements for my major by the end of next semester.

FRAGMENT

Correct

Common Fragment Types

INCOMPLETE VERBS: past or present participles without the helping verb

The student sleeping in the back row.

The student was sleeping in the back row.

FRAGMENT

Correct

Common Fragment TypesDependent Clause: Group of words that

contains a subject and verb but doesn’t express a complete thought because of the beginning word.

I kept working on my essay. Although I was tired.

I kept working on my essay, although I was tired.

FRAGMENT

Correct

One Common Problem Area It is OK for a subject to be a pronoun.

Example: I can’t decide what to do. It is a difficult situation.

Subject: It Verb: Is Completed idea: a difficult situation

As long as there is a word that acts as subject (it) the sentence fits the “subject/verb/completed idea” formula.

How To Check for Fragments

Put the words “It is clear that …” in front of the possible fragment. Does it make sense? If so, it’s a complete sentence.

EXAMPLE:

It is difficult. Fragment or sentence?

It’s clear that it is difficult. (Makes sense, so not a fragment.)

Because it is difficult. Fragment or sentence?

It’s clear that because it is difficult. (?? Doesn’t make sense so is a fragment.)

Watch Out for a Common Trap!

Just because you write a lot of words, you don’t necessarily have a complete sentence.

Although I have tried many ways to get an “A”, such as paying off the professor and offering to carry her books to class each day and assuring her that I love my writing class more than life itself.

FRAGMENT! You haven’t finished the “although” idea, so you haven’t finished your thought.

But you knew that, because you remembered that…

…a sentence is not complete or correct, unless

• It has a subject;• it has a verb,• and it expresses a completed idea.

Developing Paragraphs: Illustration

Chapter 18, pg 320

Illustration Examples A method of developing an idea by

providing one or more instances of that idea. Clarify the idea Make the idea more convincing Make an abstract idea more concrete

Where can we find examples? Personal experience/knowledge Imagination Interviews and surveys Outside research

Look @ pg 322, read Exercise 1. What kind of illustration is each?

What order should I put it in?

time-order if the example is a story Spatial order (left to right, top to

bottom) Logical order

If no order seems necessary, put your strongest example last.

Homework Do the exercises and activities up to pg

331. For your journal assignment, CHOOSE

one ASSIGNMENT from pgs 332-335. Write a illustrative paragraph about one

of the topics suggested. You will be graded on your illustration,

and use of our vocabulary words/ grammar that we have covered so far.