Understanding Sentence Fragments
* Lack a Subject: They don't have a noun or pronoun performing the action.
* Lack a Verb: They lack a word describing the action or state of being.
* Incomplete Thought: They don't express a complete idea.
Common Types of Sentence Fragments
1. Phrases:
* Prepositional Phrase: *In the garden.* (What happened in the garden?)
* Participial Phrase: *Running through the park.* (Who is running?)
* Infinitive Phrase: *To write a novel.* (Who wants to write a novel?)
2. Dependent Clauses: These have a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence.
* Subordinating Conjunctions: *Because it was raining.* (What happened because it was raining?)
* Relative Pronouns: *Who lives next door.* (Who does what?)
Fixing Sentence Fragments
1. Combine with a Nearby Sentence: This is the most common method.
* Original: *The sun was shining. On the beach.*
* Corrected: *The sun was shining on the beach.*
2. Add a Subject or Verb:
* Original: *The dog barking at the mailman.*
* Corrected: *The dog was barking at the mailman.*
3. Remove a Subordinating Conjunction:
* Original: *Because she was tired, she went to bed.*
* Corrected: *She was tired, so she went to bed.*
4. Change a Phrase into a Clause:
* Original: *After the game. The players celebrated.*
* Corrected: *After the game, the players celebrated.*
Examples
* Fragment: *Running down the street.*
* Complete Sentence: *The children were running down the street.*
* Fragment: *Because the weather was bad.*
* Complete Sentence: *Because the weather was bad, we stayed inside.*
Tips
* Read your writing aloud: Listen for awkward pauses or incomplete thoughts.
* Pay attention to conjunctions: Words like "because," "when," "although," and "while" often signal dependent clauses.
* Look for subjects and verbs: Every complete sentence needs both.
By understanding these concepts, you can effectively identify and fix fragmented sentences, creating clear and well-structured writing.