revising sentence fragments

Revising Sentence Fragments

• Overview

What is a sentence fragment?

How do I turn a fragment into a complete sentence?

Can a sentence stand alone as a sentence?

Are sentence fragments ever acceptable?

What is a sentence Fragment?

Recognizing Sentence Fragments

• A sentence fragment:

- an incomplete sentence

- a phrase or clause punctuated like a sentence


- It lacks a subject

Many astrophysicists now believe that galaxies a distributed in clusters. And even form supercluster

complexes.

- It lacks a verb

Every generation has its defining moments. Usually the events with the most news coverage.

- It lacks a subject and a verb

Researchers are engaged in a variety of studies. Suggesting a link between alcoholism and heredity.

- It is a dependent clause

Bishop Tutu was awarded the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize. Because he fought apartheid.

• A sentence is incomplete because:

Recognizing Sentence Fragments• NOTE:

A sentence cannot consist of:

- a single clause that begins with a subordinating

conjunction (such as because)

- a single clause that starts with a relative pronoun

(such as that)

- a single clause beginning with when, where, who,

what, why, or how, unless it is a question.

A fragment is especially confusing when it comes

between two independent clauses.

In The Ox-Bow incident, the crowd is convinced that

the men are guilty. Even though the men insist they

are innocent and Davies pleads for their lives. They

are hanged.


• Answer Key:

Revising Dependent Clause

Fragments• Dependent clause (subordinate clause):

- consists of a subject and a verb

- cannot stand alone as a sentence

- needs an independent clause to complete its meaning

- must always be attached to at least one independent clause to form a complete sentence

- is always introduced by a subordinate conjunction (although, because, and so on) or a

relative pronoun (which, who, and so on)


Fragments• Correcting a dependent clause fragment:

Join the dependent clause to a neighboring independent clause, creating a complex sentence.

The battery is dead. Which means the car won’t start.

The battery is dead, which means the car won’t start.

The United States declared war. Because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

The United States declared war because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.


Fragments• Correcting a dependent clause fragment:

• Delete the subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun, turning the fragment into a

complete sentence.

The battery is dead. Which means the car won’t start.

The battery is dead. This means the car won’t start.

The United States declared war. Because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

The United States declared war. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

NOTE:

Simply deleting the subordination conjunction or relative pronoun, as in the examples above,

is likely to create a choppy style.


Fragments


Fragments• Answer Key:

Revising Phrase Fragments• A phrase:

- provides information - description, examples, and so on -

about other words or word groups in a sentence

- cannot stand alone as a sentence because it lacks a

subject, a verb, or both

- is often introduced by a transitional word or phrase, such

as also, finally, in addition, and now, but misses a subject

and a verb

Revising Phrase Fragments• Fragments introduced by transitions:

Also a step in the right direction.

It was also a step in the right direction.

Finally, a new home for the family.

Finally, he found a new home for the family.

In addition, three new keyboards for the computer lab.

In addition, we need three new keyboards for the computer lab.

Now, the first step.

Now, I will explain the first step.

Prepositional Phrases• A prepositional consists of:

- a preposition

- its object

- any modifiers of the object

Prepositional Phrases

• Correcting a prepositional phrase fragment:

Attach it to the independent clause that contains the word or word group modified by the

prepositional phrase

President Lyndon Johnson did not seek reelection. For a number of reasons.

President Lyndon Johnson did not seek reelection for a number of reasons.

He ran sixty yards for a touchdown. In the final minutes of the game.

He ran sixty yards for a touchdown in the final minutes of the game.

Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional Phrases• Answer Key:

Verbal Phrases

• Verbal phrases consist of a verbal:

- a present participle (walking)

- a past participle (walked) + related objects and modifiers (walking along the lonely beach)

- a gerund (walking)

Because a verbal cannot serve as a sentence’s main verb, a verbal phrase is not a complete

sentence and should not be punctuated as one.

Verbal Phrases• To correct a verbal phrase fragment you can attach the verbal

phrase to a related independent clause

In 1948, India became an independent country. Divided into the nations of India and Pakistan.

In 1948, India became an independent country, divided into the nations of India and Pakistan.

A familiar trademark can increase a product’s sales. Reminding shoppers that the product has

a long-standing reputation.

A familiar trademark can increase a product’s sales, reminding shoppers that the product has a

long-standing reputation.

Verbal Phrases

• You can also change the verbal into a verb and add a subject.

In 1948, India became an independent country. Divided into the nations of India and Pakistan.

In 1948, India became an independent country. It was into the nations of India and Pakistan.

A familiar trademark can increase a product’s sales. Reminding shoppers that the product has

a long-standing reputation.

A familiar trademark can increase a product’s sales. It reminds shoppers that the product has a

long-standing reputation.

Verbal Phrases

Verbal Phrases• Answer Key:

Appositives

• An appositive:

- is a noun or noun phrase that identifies or renames an

adjacent noun or pronoun

- cannot stand alone in a sentence

• To correct an appositive fragment, attach the appositive to an

independent clause that contains the word the appositive renames

Brian was the start forward of the Blue Devils. The team with the best record.

Brian was the start forward of the Blue Devils, the team with the best record.

Pierro della Francesca was a leader of the Umbrian school of painting. A school that remained

close the the traditions of Gothic art.

Pierro della Francesca was a leader of the Umbrian school of painting, a school that remained

close the the traditions of Gothic art.

Appositives

• When the appositive fragment is in the form of a list, add a colon to

connect the list to the independent clause that introduces it.

Tourists often outnumber residents in four European cities ,Venice, Florence, Canterbury, and

Bath.

Tourists often outnumber residents in four European cities: Venice, Florence, Canterbury, and

Bath.

Appositives

Appositives• Sometimes an appositive consists of a word or a phrase like that is, for

example, for instance, namely, or such as, followed by an example. To

correct this kind of appositive fragment, attach the appositive to the

preceding independent clause.

Fairytales are full of damsels in distress. Such as Cinderella and Rapunzel.

Fairytales are full of damsels in distress, such as Cinderella and Rapunzel.

• NOTE:

Sometimes you can correct an appositive fragment by embedding the appositive within an

independent clause.

Some popular novelists are highly respected in later generations. For example, Charles

Dickens and Mark Twain.

Some popular novelists —for example Charles Dickens and Mark Twain— are highly

respected in later generations.

Appositives

Appositives• Answer Key:

Revising Compounds• The last part of a compound predicate, compound object, or

compound complement cannot stand alone as a sentence.

• To correct this type of fragment, connect the detached part of the

compound to the sentence to which it belongs.

People with dyslexia have trouble reading. And may also find it difficult to write.

People with dyslexia have trouble reading, and may also find it difficult to write.

The took only a compass and a canteen. And some trail mix.

The took only a compass and a canteen, and some trail mix.

Revising Compounds

Revising Compounds• Answer Key:

Using Fragments Intentionally

• In professional and academic writing, sentence fragments are

generally not acceptable. However, it is permissible to use

fragments in the following special situations:

- In lists

- In captions that accompany visuals

- In topic outlines

- In quoted dialogue

- In PowerPoint presentations

- In titles and subtitles of papers and reports

revising sentence fragments

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