What Is a Sentence Fragment? Asentence is a complete thought, almost always with a subject and a verb. At its most basic, a sentence has a thing doing something or having something done to it. Crafting Complete Sentences a 9 PB Start your sentence with a capital letter. Use both a subject and a verb. VERB You complete Express a complete idea with your sentence. Ly, me. Close your sentence with a period, exclamation Ras, point, or question mark. 7 eee A sentence fragment is a word, phrase, or dependent clause that is punctuated as a sentence, but the subject, A verb, or both may be missing. Though sentence fragments £ & may be used for effect in certain types of writing, e py fragments are generally not used in academic or professional writing. Are Sentence Fragments Ever OK? Sentence fragments are never acceptable in formal writing document, or the like, avoid fragments. ‘you're writing a school paper, a cover letter, a business ‘Simple three-point test: 1. Does it have a subject? 2. Does it have a verb? 3. Does it make sense standing all alone? Don’t forget! Commands and other imperatives are not fragments because the subject is understood to be “you.” These are all complete sentences: © Excuse me. © Pass the salt. + Read my blog. © Hush!Avoiding Sentence Fragments DEFINITIONS: fragment = a part broken off, a piece of somethi sentence = word group that does all of the following: ‘+ begins with a capital letter and is followed with an end mark (period, question mark, exclamation point) * contains a subject and a verb * expresses a complete thought : ar Crem Coy sentence fragment = piece of a sentence, incomplete sentence that is punctuated like a sentence. 5 Common Types of Sentence Fragments 1. Dependent Word Fragment: a word group that contains a subject and verb but begins with a dependent word Examples: he arrived late. He couldn't get a ticket. Gite)! quit eating wheat products. | felt so much better. COMMON DEPENDENT WORDS: after before unless what where although it so that which whether as since that whichever who because though until while whose nd to Fragments: an —ing word or the word to appears at or near the beginning of a word group that doesn’t contain both a subject and a verb. Examples: the corner. Bruce ran into Elise. Warren looked for a job.(T9) pay for his college tuition, 3. Prepositional Phrase Fragment: a word group that starts with a preposition and doesn’t contain a subject and a verb and/or doesn’t express a complete thought. Examples: Ger0s9) the restaurant. Brian saw his old girlfriend. Free parking is available downtown, urn holidays.‘COMMON PREPOSITIONS: about because of except of to above before for off toward across behind from on under after below in out until against beside inside outside up along between into over upon among by like past with, around down near since within at during next to through without 4. Added Detail Fragment: a word group that starts with an example or explanation of something ‘mentioned in the previous sentence but doesn’t contain its own subject and verb. Examples: Josh loves fast food. pecially hamburgers and French fries. Marvin has had some weird jobs. Gach a} Juggler and dog walker. You can do alot with a cell phone these days.Cfor exampl check ‘emails. Words that often signal added detail fragments: also except including especially for example such as 5. Missing Subject Fragment: a word group that has a verb but no subject. ‘Sometimes the subject is in the previous sentence. Example: Yvonge picked up her purse. And grabbed her car keys. Ora word group describing weather, time, or distance may begin with “Was” or “Is” instead of a subject. ea et eae - eee ‘Was a long way to walk. Two Ways to Correct a Fragment METHOD 1: Add it to the sentence before or after it. Because he arrived late, he couldn't get a ticket. Turning the corner, Bruce ran into Elise. Across the restaurant, Brian saw his old girlfriend. Josh loves fast food, especially hamburgers and French fries. Marvin has had some weird jobs, such as juggler and dog walker. ‘Yonne picked up her purse and grabbed her car keys.METHOD 2: Make it into a sentence by supplying the missing parts or removing the dependent word I quit eating wheat products. | felt so much better. Warren looked for a job. He needed to pay for his college tuition. Free parking is available downtown, But It is only available during the holidays. You can do a lot with a cell phone these days, For example, you can check emails, Itis hot outside. (In cases of weather and time, the word it can act as the subject.) ‘Three miles was a long way to walk. PUNCTUATION ALERT: 1) Word groups starting with a dependent word or an ~ing word at the beginning of a sentence are followed by a comma. 2) Added details at the end of the sentence are usually preceded by a comma. he If you're writing on a computer with a program like MS Word, the computer will often identify possible fragments for you and underline them. If you see a word group underlined by the grammar checker, look closely to make sure it’s a complete sentence. FINDING AND FIXING FRAGMENTS IN YOUR OWN WRITING 5 Trouble Spots That Signal a Word Group May Be a Fragment \ Starts with a dependent word Starts with an Starts with a ing word or prepositional the word to phrase Starts with an example or explanation Starts with a verb if you see one of the trouble spots in your writing, ask yourself: Does this sentence have a subject and a verb and a complete thought? YES NO Complete Sentence Fragment that needs © tobe corrected } | Make ita complete sentence © oR Add it toa the sentence before or after it ©