FRAGMENTS, COMMA SPLICES, AND RUN-ONS

OH MY!

WHAT IS A FRAGMENT?

A fragment is a group of words that is punctuated as a sentence but is not a sentence.

WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF FRAGMENTS?

1. A group of words with no subject or no verb 2. A group of words

that has a subject and a verb but starts with a dependent word

WHAT IS MISSING?

1. Took an interest in astronomy.

2. Scott turning his telescope skyward every night.

3. A place where the puppy would be happy.

WHERE ARE THE DEPENDENT WORDS (SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS)?

Since I took an interest in astronomy.

Because I was sure I would get there.

While Scott was turning his telescope skyward every night.

If a place where the puppy would be happy was hard to find.

INTENTIONAL VS. UNINTENTIONAL FRAGMENTS

If the author really means to write a fragment it is not an error. Wow! Great. What a mess.

These are intentional fragments.

Note: Intentional fragments usually don’t fit the formal tone of academic writing.

WHAT ARE THE TWO WAYS TO FIX AN UNINTENTIONAL FRAGMENT?

1. Make it into a sentence.2. Join it to a sentence.

WHAT IS A SUBORDINATE CLAUSE?

A subordinate clause is a group of words with a subject and verb but starts with a dependent word.

Examples: since I ran to class, when I was eating lunch, because I came to West. while I am in class …

THERE ARE TWO PATTERNS FOR SENTENCES WITH SUBORDINATE

CLAUSES.

SC = Subordinate Clause

MC = Main Clause

Pattern # 1 = SC, MC.

Because he was such a good student, I decided to make him a flower pen.

Pattern # 2 = MC SC.

I decided to make him a flower pen because he was such a good student.

WHAT IS A COMMA SPLICE?

A comma splice is two sentences joined with only a comma.

The wind was cold, they decided not to walk.

I ran to class, I puked my guts out.

WHAT IS A RUN-ON SENTENCE?

A run-on sentence is two sentences with nothing in between.

The wind was cold they decided not to walk.

I ran to class I puked my guts out.

THERE ARE FOUR WAYS TO FIX A COMMA SPLICE OR

RUN-ON.

1. Use a period.2. Use a semi-colon.3. Join with comma + and-but-for-

or-nor-so-yet4. Make one subordinate

(remember- SC, MC)