what is a sentence fragment? correcting phrase fragments correcting subordinate-clause fragments...

What is a sentence fragment?

Correcting phrase fragments

Correcting subordinate-clause fragments

Using fragments for stylistic effect

Review A

Review B

Correcting Sentence Fragments

Not all “sentences” are created equal. Look at the following two groups of words:

The herd stampeded. Frightened by noise.The herd stampeded. Frightened by noise.

They both begin with a capital.

They both end with a period.

The herd stampeded. Frightened by noise.

The second does not express a complete thought. It is a sentence fragment.

BUT

The herd stampeded. Frightened by noise.

Fragment


A sentence fragment does not have all the basic parts of a complete sentence.

Has horns shaped like corkscrews. EXAMPLES

While it stands five feet high at the shoulder.

The kudu, a type of antelope, in Africa.


Fragments do not express a complete thought and are missing important information.

No subject

Not a

complet

e

thought

No verb

To identify sentence fragments, use a simple test:

1. Does the group of words have a subject?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you have a fragment.

2. Does it have a verb?

3. Does it express a complete thought?


Sentence

Apply the test to the following group of words:

My brother is coming home today.

YES

YES

YES

My brother is coming home today.My brother is coming home today.My brother is coming home today.





Apply the test to the following group of words:

Whenever I see a rainbow.Whenever I see a rainbow.Whenever I see a rainbow.Whenever I see a rainbow.


YES

YES

NO




Fragment

What happens whenever you see a rainbow?

On Your Own

[End of Section]

Determine whether each group of words is a fragment or a complete sentence. If the item is a complete sentence, write C. If a subject is missing, write S. If a verb is missing, write V. If the item has a subject and a verb but expresses an incomplete thought, write I.

___ 1. Nina Otero-Warren excelled as an educator, writer, and public official.

___ 2. Was an important influence in her life.

___ 3. Descended from a long line of political leaders.

___ 4. She was one of the first Mexican-American women to hold important public posts in New Mexico.


A phrase is a group of words that does not have both a subject and a verb. By itself a phrase is a fragment.

Imagine: Your best friend walks in and says . . .

then leaves!

A phrase does not make sense by itself.

?During third period!

What did she mean, “During third

period”?


??

Four kinds of phrases are often mistaken for sentences:

• Verbal phrases

Taking photographs.

• Appositive phrases

A well-known peak.

• Prepositional phrases In a remote valley.


• Absolute phrases The extra prints having been made.

There are two ways to fix a phrase fragment:

Strategy 1: Add words to form a complete sentence.

• Verbal phrases

Taking photographs.


A well-known peak.

I enjoy taking photographs.

The Matterhorn, a well-known peak, awed me.


In a remote valley. This picture shows a village in a remote valley.

Strategy 1: Add words to form a complete sentence (continued).

• Prepositional phrases


• Absolute phrases

The extra prints having been made. The extra prints having been made, I framed a copy for each of my friends.

The Matterhorn looms over the village. A well-known peak.

Strategy 2: Combine the fragment with a sentence.

• Verbal phrases

I spent my vacation. Taking photographs.


That is the Matterhorn. A well-known peak.

I spent my vacation taking photographs.

That is the Matterhorn, a well-known peak.


I hiked up the trail. Taking photographs.Taking photographs, I hiked up the trail.

The Matterhorn, a well-known peak, looms over the village.

The village was situated between two mountains. In a remote valley. The village was situated in a remote valley between two mountains.

Strategy 2: Combine the fragment with a sentence (continued).

• Prepositional phrases

We visited a beautiful village. In a remote valley. We visited a beautiful village in a remote valley.


• Absolute phrases

I framed them as presents for my friends. The extra copies having been made. The extra copies having been made, I framed them as presents for my friends.

[End of Section]


On Your Own

Rewrite the following paragraph to correct phrase fragments. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.

Until the early part of the twentieth century. The

blacksmith’s shop was a familiar sight in the United

States. Shoeing horses and making metal wagon parts.

Also called a smithy. The blacksmith’s shop was often a

community meeting place.

An independent clause (or main clause) expresses a complete thought and can stand by itself as a sentence.

Subject

A barometer measures the pressure of the atmosphere.

Verb

A barometer measures the pressure of the atmosphere.A barometer measures the pressure of the atmosphere.

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.


A subordinate clause (or dependent clause) cannot stand by itself as a sentence.

Subject

when the game finally ended

who scored the winning run

Verb

Subject Verb

when the game finally endedwhen the game finally ended


A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought.



Subordinate clause fragments suggest questions that they do not answer.

Although he is a sophomore.

Who scored the winning run.


What happened although he is a

sophomore?

To whom is this statement referring? It would be complete if it ended with a question

mark.When the game finally ended.

What happened when the game finally

ended?

There are two ways to fix a subordinate clause fragment:

Who scored the winning run.

Strategy 1: Add words to form a complete sentence.

Strategy 2: Combine the fragment with a sentence.

Although he is a sophomore. He is our best pitcher.Although he is a sophomore, he is our best pitcher.

He was the batter who scored the winning run.


[End of Section]


On Your Own

Rewrite the following paragraph to correct subordinate clause fragments. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.

Sea urchins have long, movable spines. Which they

use to push themselves across the ocean floor. Sea

urchins can be eaten in sushi. After they have been

harvested and carefully prepared. They may look odd,

but they taste delicious!

By itself a sentence fragment does not express a complete thought.

The endless road. A pitiless sun. Not a scrap of shade in sight.

However, an experienced writer may use a fragment for effect if it is clearly related to a nearby sentence.

Slamming down the hood of the car, he turned to survey the landscape. The endless road. A pitiless sun. Not a scrap of shade in sight.

Using fragments for stylistic effect

[End of Section]

[End of Section]

Identify each fragment as a phrase (P) or a subordinate clause (S). Then, add words to make it a complete sentence.

___ 1. Waving from the car window.

___ 2. That we should practice more.

___ 3. To prepare the garden.

___ 4. In addition to swimming and soccer.

___ 5. When we lived in Milwaukee.

Review A

[End of Section]

Revise the fragments in the following paragraph. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.

Amy Tan is a Chinese American author. Who writes about

the lives of second-generation Chinese Americans. Writing

with both humor and insight. Tan accurately portrays family

relationships. After working as a freelance business writer.

Tan decided to try writing short stories. Once her first novel,

The Joy Luck Club, was published. She became an instant

celebrity.

Review B

The End

what is a sentence fragment? correcting phrase fragments correcting subordinate-clause fragments...

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