Repair Sentence Fragments By: Ashlyn Lear

What is a fragment? A word group that pretends to be a sentence. Are easy to recognize A sentence that does not have a subject.

Examples of Fragments When the cat leaped onto the table. Running for the bus And immediately popped their flares an life vests.

Fragments Cont. When fragments are next to related sentences, they are still harder to spot. We had just sat down to dinner. When the cat leaped onto the table. I tripped and twisted my ankle. Running for the bus. The pilots ejected from the burning plane, landing in the water not far from the ship. And immediately popped their flares and life vests.

How to Recognize fragments A word group must consist of at least one full independent clause to be a sentence. An independent clause includes both a subject and verb, and it eaither stands alone or could stand alone.

Tests for fragments Ask: Is there a verb? If not it is a fragment. Is there a subject? If not it is a fragment Is the word group merely a subordinate clause?(begins with a word such as because or what) If yes, it is a fragment. If it is not a subordinate clause, then it is a sentence. Do not mistake a verbal for a verb. A verbal is a verb form (such as running, to eat) that does not function as a verb of a clause.

Examples from earlier When the cat leaped onto the table. This is a fragment because it begins with a subordinate word (when), even though it has a subject (cat) and a verb (leaped). Running for the bus. This is a fragment because it does not have a subject or verb. Immediately popped their flares and life vests. This is a fragment because it lacks a subject.

Repairing sentence fragments You can repair most fragments in one or two ways: Pull the fragment into a nearby sentence. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence. Ex: We had just sat down to dinner. When the cat leaped onto the table. (take out the period and add a comma) I tripped and twisted my ankle. Running for the bus. (Put running for the bus in the beginning)

Attaching fragmented phrases Like subordinate clauses, phrases function sentences as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns. They can not stand alone. Fragmented phrases are often verbal phrases or prepositional. Ex: The patient displayed symptoms of ALS. A neurodegenerative disease. (take out period and a comma and “a”)

Exception A fragment may be used for effect. Writers occasionally use sentence fragments for special purposes: -For emphasis -To answer a question -Transitions (And now the opposing arguments.) -Exclamations (Not again!) -In advertising (Fewer carbs. Improved taste.)

Questions… why is it a fragment? Running as fast he could to catch up. Alice is busy tonight. Working on her final draft John work up early. Finishing his homework.