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Fragments

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ergrabah2017
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39 views4 pages

Fragments

Uploaded by

ergrabah2017
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence, but actually isn’t a

complete sentence. Sentence fragments are usually missing a subject or verb, or they do
not express a complete thought. While it may be punctuated to look like a complete
sentence, a fragment cannot stand on its own.

Distinguishing Features
Here are the distinguishing features of a sentence fragment:

1. It is missing a subject
o Example: Ran to the store faster than a rabbit. (Who ran?)

2. It is missing a verb or has the wrong verb form


o Example: My favorite history teacher. (What did the teacher do or say?)

3. It is a leftover phrase
o Example: For better or worse. (What is better or worse? What is it modifying?)

4. It is an abandoned clause
o Example: When my mother married my father. (What happened when “my
mother married my father?”)
5. It is a misuse of “such as, for example, especially,” etc.
o Example: Such as, my brother was practicing martial arts. (It is unclear; did
something happen when my brother was practicing martial arts?)

Three Ways to Turn a Fragment into a


Complete Sentence
1. Attach
Attach the fragment to a nearby complete sentence

o Incorrect: I forgot to eat breakfast. On the morning of my driver’s test.


o Correct: I forgot to eat breakfast on the morning of my driver’s test.

o Incorrect: If the front door is locked. Use the back entrance.


o Correct: If the front door is locked, use the back entrance.
2. Revise
Revise the fragment by adding whatever is missing – subject, verb, complete thought.

o Incorrect: Loves to lie around in the sun all day. (A subject is missing. Who loves
to lie around?)
o Correct: My roommate loves to lie around in the sun all day.

o Incorrect: Joe to train every day. (A verb is missing. Also, “to train” is the wrong
verb form. Joe does what every day?)
o Correct: Joe trains every day for the marathon next month.
o Correct: Joe is training every day for the marathon next month.
3. Rewrite
Rewrite the fragment or the entire passage that contains the fragment.

o Incorrect: Our new landlord was expected to make changes. Such as fixing the
plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate. Has not done
any of it yet and weeks have passed.
o Correct: Our new landlord was expected to make changes, such as fixing the
plumbing, installing a new washer, and replacing the security gate lock. Weeks
have passed, and he still has not done any of it yet.

l Con

Exercise:
Turn the following fragments into complete sentences:
 Fragment Sentence: That time of wonder and amazement.
Revision: That was a time of wonder and amazement.
 Fragment Sentence: Clothes and shoes scattered around the room.
Revision: Clothes and shoes were scattered around the room.
 Fragment Sentence: The elected official for our district unpopular.
Revision: The elected official for our district was unpopular.

 Fragment Sentence: Inheritance, the answer to our prayers.


Revision: This inheritance is the answer to our prayers.

 Fragment Sentence: Terri showing her award and gloating.


Revision: Terri was showing her award and gloating.

 Fragment Sentence: Shows no improvement in your efficiency.


Revision: The evaluation shows no improvement in your efficiency.

 Fragment Sentence: Slammed the door and left.


Revision: Sarah slammed the door and left.

 Fragment Sentence: Was running down the lane and into the forest.
Revision: The moose was running down the lane and into the forest.

 Fragment Sentence: Discovered the cure for the disease.


Revision: The researcher discovered the cure for the disease.

 Fragment Sentence: Gave many reasons but no logical ones.


Revision: Our boss gave many reasons but no logical ones.

 Fragment Sentence: Because it was raining.


Revision: We canceled the picnic because it was raining.
 Fragment Sentence: After I finish the project.
Revision: I will get a bonus after I finish the project.

 Fragment Sentence: Since she never saw that movie.


Revision: We should invite her since she never saw that movie.

 Fragment Sentence: Such as drama, music and dance.


Revision: I like the arts, such as drama, music and dance.

 Fragment Sentence: To explain why that happened.


Revision: He neglected to explain why that happened.

 Fragment Sentence: Worrying that she would be robbed.


Revision: She carefully locked the car, worrying that she would be robbed.

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