FragmentsFragments

What is a fragment?What is a fragment?

A A fragmentfragment is a group of words that is a group of words that is missing parts of a complete is missing parts of a complete sentence.sentence.

Remember that any sentence, in Remember that any sentence, in order to be complete, must express a order to be complete, must express a complete thoughtcomplete thought and must include and must include both a both a subjectsubject and a and a verbverb..

Sentence:Sentence:There I was, in the middle of my There I was, in the middle of my

morning shower, when it happened. morning shower, when it happened.

Sentence followed by a Sentence followed by a fragment:fragment:

There I was, in the middle of my There I was, in the middle of my morning shower. When it happened.morning shower. When it happened.

How can you find a How can you find a fragment?fragment?

Ask: Is there a subject in the word Ask: Is there a subject in the word group? A verb?group? A verb?

Ask: Does the word group express a Ask: Does the word group express a complete thought?complete thought?

If the answer to any of these If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” then the word questions is “no,” then the word group is a fragment. group is a fragment.

How can you correct a How can you correct a fragment?fragment?

There are two basic ways to fix a There are two basic ways to fix a fragment:fragment:

– – Add what is missing (a subject, a Add what is missing (a subject, a verb, or both). verb, or both).

– – Attach the fragment to the sentence Attach the fragment to the sentence before or after it. before or after it.

Fragments that start with Fragments that start with prepositionsprepositions

What is a preposition?What is a preposition?A preposition connects a noun, pronoun, or A preposition connects a noun, pronoun, or

verb with other information about it. verb with other information about it. * Remember: While phrases that begin with * Remember: While phrases that begin with

prepositions usually contain a noun, this prepositions usually contain a noun, this noun cannot be the subject of the noun cannot be the subject of the sentence. sentence.

Example: Example: After the swim meet, I went After the swim meet, I went out for dinner.out for dinner.

In this sentence, In this sentence, II is the subject, not is the subject, not the the swim meetswim meet..

How do you correct How do you correct fragments that start with fragments that start with

prepositions?prepositions? Correct the fragment by joining it to Correct the fragment by joining it to

the sentence before or after it. the sentence before or after it.

Sentence followed by a fragment: Sentence followed by a fragment:

Some parents worry. About their Some parents worry. About their children’s imaginary companions. children’s imaginary companions.

Corrected sentence:Corrected sentence:

Some parents worry about their Some parents worry about their children’s imaginary companions.children’s imaginary companions.

Fragments that start with Fragments that start with dependent wordsdependent words

What is a dependent word?What is a dependent word?A dependent word (also called a A dependent word (also called a

subordinating conjunctionsubordinating conjunction) is the first word ) is the first word in a dependent clause. in a dependent clause.

* Remember: A dependent clause is not a * Remember: A dependent clause is not a sentence because it does not express a sentence because it does not express a complete thought, even though it contains a complete thought, even though it contains a subject and a verb.subject and a verb.

Example: Example: Since I won the meet. I have not Since I won the meet. I have not stopped smiling.stopped smiling.

Since I wonSince I won has a subject ( has a subject (II) and a verb ) and a verb ((wonwon), but it doesn’t express a complete ), but it doesn’t express a complete thought. (What happened since I won?)thought. (What happened since I won?)

How do you correct How do you correct fragments that start with a fragments that start with a

dependent word?dependent word? Connect a fragment that starts with a Connect a fragment that starts with a

dependent word to the sentence before dependent word to the sentence before or after it.or after it.

Sentence followed by a fragment: Sentence followed by a fragment:

There I was, in the middle of my There I was, in the middle of my morning shower. When it happened.morning shower. When it happened.

Corrected sentence:Corrected sentence:

There I was, in the middle of my There I was, in the middle of my morning shower, when it happened. morning shower, when it happened.

Fragments that start with Fragments that start with ––inging verb forms verb forms

What is an What is an –ing–ing verb form? verb form?

An An –ing–ing verb form (also called a verb form (also called a gerundgerund) is ) is the form of a verb that ends in the form of a verb that ends in –ing–ing: : walking, writing, running. walking, writing, running.

* Remember: Unless it comes with a helping * Remember: Unless it comes with a helping verb (like verb (like waswas), an ), an –ing–ing verb form cannot verb form cannot be a complete verb in a sentence. It can, be a complete verb in a sentence. It can, however, be the subject of a sentence. however, be the subject of a sentence.

Example:Example:

Walking is good exercise. Walking is good exercise.

How do you correct How do you correct fragments that start with fragments that start with ––

inging verb forms? verb forms? Correct a fragment that starts with an Correct a fragment that starts with an –ing–ing verb verb

form either by adding the missing elements of the form either by adding the missing elements of the sentence (such as a subject and a helping verb) or sentence (such as a subject and a helping verb) or by connecting it to the previous or next sentence. by connecting it to the previous or next sentence.

Sentence followed by a fragment:Sentence followed by a fragment:I was humming to myself. Walking down the I was humming to myself. Walking down the

road. road. Corrected sentences: Corrected sentences: I was humming to myself. I was walking down I was humming to myself. I was walking down

the road. the road. I was humming to myself, walking down the I was humming to myself, walking down the

road. road.

Fragments that start with Fragments that start with toto and a verb and a verb

What is What is toto and a verb? and a verb? ToTo and a verb is also known as the infinitive and a verb is also known as the infinitive

form of a verb. form of a verb. * Remember: If a word group begins with * Remember: If a word group begins with toto

and a verb, it must contain another verb, and a verb, it must contain another verb, or it is not a complete sentence. or it is not a complete sentence. ToTo and a and a verb can be the subject of a sentence.verb can be the subject of a sentence.

Example: Example: To run a complete marathon was my To run a complete marathon was my

goal. goal.

How do you correct How do you correct fragments that start with fragments that start with toto

and a verb?and a verb? Correct a fragment that starts with Correct a fragment that starts with toto and a and a

verb by joining it to the sentence before or verb by joining it to the sentence before or after it, or by adding the missing sentence after it, or by adding the missing sentence elements. elements.

Sentence followed by a fragment:Sentence followed by a fragment:It was my goal. To run a complete It was my goal. To run a complete

marathonmarathon..Corrected sentences:Corrected sentences:It was my goal to run a complete marathon.It was my goal to run a complete marathon.It was my goal. I wanted to run a complete It was my goal. I wanted to run a complete

marathon.marathon.

Fragments that are Fragments that are examples or explanationsexamples or explanations

This type of sentence fragment can be This type of sentence fragment can be harder to recognize because there is harder to recognize because there is no single word or kind of word to look no single word or kind of word to look for. Sometimes, fragments like this for. Sometimes, fragments like this will start with words like will start with words like especially, especially, for example, like,for example, like, or or such assuch as. .

Example: Example:

I wanted to paint my room a warm I wanted to paint my room a warm color. Like orange or red.color. Like orange or red.

How do you correct How do you correct fragments that are fragments that are

examples or explanations?examples or explanations? Correct a fragment that is an example or Correct a fragment that is an example or

explanation by adding the missing sentence explanation by adding the missing sentence elements or by joining it to the sentence elements or by joining it to the sentence before or after it. before or after it.

Sentence followed by a fragment: Sentence followed by a fragment: I wanted to paint my room a warm color. I wanted to paint my room a warm color.

Like orange or red.Like orange or red. Corrected sentences: Corrected sentences: I wanted to paint my room a warm color. I I wanted to paint my room a warm color. I

looked for paint that was orange or red.looked for paint that was orange or red.I wanted to paint my room a warm color I wanted to paint my room a warm color

like orange or red.like orange or red.

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