Scribd
Upload
15 views3 pages

Understanding and Fixing Sentence Fragments: What Is A Sentence Fragment?

Uploaded by

SpaceXecapS
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
15 views3 pages

Understanding and Fixing Sentence Fragments: What Is A Sentence Fragment?

Uploaded by

SpaceXecapS
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
You are on page 1/ 3

Understanding and Fixing Sentence Fragments

What is a Sentence Fragment?


A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It may
be missing a subject, a verb, or both. While fragments can sometimes add emphasis or style
in writing, they are usually considered errors in formal writing. Understanding how to
identify and fix sentence fragments is an essential skill for improving your writing.
Examples of Sentence Fragments
1. Missing Subject: "Went to the store."
○ This fragment does not tell us who went to the store.
2. Missing Verb: "The dog in the yard."
○ This fragment tells us about the dog but does not say what the dog is doing.
3. Dependent Clause: "When I finished my homework."
○ This fragment starts with a subordinating conjunction and leaves us hanging
without a main idea.
Why Do Sentence Fragments Occur?
Sentence fragments can occur for several reasons:
● Incomplete Thoughts: Sometimes, when we are writing quickly, we might leave out
important parts of a sentence.
● Dependent Clauses: These clauses cannot stand alone as complete sentences
because they depend on other information to make sense.
● Misplaced Punctuation: Incorrect punctuation, such as a period placed where a
comma should be, can create fragments.
How to Fix Sentence Fragments
There are several strategies you can use to fix sentence fragments and turn them into
complete sentences.
1. Add the Missing Subject or Verb
If your fragment is missing a subject or a verb, you can add the necessary components to
create a complete thought.
● Fragment: "Went to the store."
○ Fixed: "I went to the store."
● Fragment: "The dog in the yard."
○ Fixed: "The dog is playing in the yard."
2. Combine with a Complete Sentence
If your fragment is a dependent clause, you can attach it to a complete sentence.
● Fragment: "When I finished my homework."
○ Fixed: "When I finished my homework, I felt relieved."
3. Rewrite the Fragment
Sometimes, it’s easiest to rewrite the fragment entirely to ensure it expresses a complete
thought.
● Fragment: "Because it was raining."
○ Fixed: "I stayed inside because it was raining."
Practice Identifying Sentence Fragments
Read the following sentences and determine which are fragments. If a sentence is a
fragment, rewrite it to make it complete.
1. The cat on the roof.
2. She loves to read books.
3. After the movie was over.
4. He runs every morning.
5. In the middle of the night.
Answers
1. Fragment: "The cat on the roof." → Fixed: "The cat is on the roof."
2. Complete Sentence: "She loves to read books."
3. Fragment: "After the movie was over." → Fixed: "After the movie was over, we went
out for ice cream."
4. Complete Sentence: "He runs every morning."
5. Fragment: "In the middle of the night." → Fixed: "In the middle of the night, I heard a
strange noise."
Conclusion
Understanding and fixing sentence fragments is an important part of writing clearly and
effectively. By identifying fragments and using strategies to correct them, you can improve
the quality of your writing. Remember to always check your sentences to ensure they
convey complete thoughts!
Review Questions
1. What is a sentence fragment?
2. Give an example of a sentence fragment and fix it.
3. Why is it important to avoid sentence fragments in formal writing?
By mastering sentence structure, you will enhance your writing skills and communicate your
ideas more effectively!

You might also like