Here's a breakdown:
* Participle: A verb form that acts as an adjective. Examples: "running," "played," "broken."
* Participial Phrase: A participle plus any modifiers or complements. Example: "running quickly down the street."
* Fragment: A part of a sentence that cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
Examples of Participial Phrase Fragments:
* Running quickly down the street. (Who is running?)
* Played with the dog in the park. (What was played with?)
* Broken beyond repair. (What was broken?)
Why are they fragments?
These phrases lack a subject (the person or thing performing the action) and a finite verb (a verb with a tense like past, present, or future).
How to fix them:
You can fix these fragments by adding the missing elements:
* Adding a subject: "The boy running quickly down the street."
* Adding a verb: "Running quickly down the street, he tripped."
* Joining the fragment to a complete sentence: "The boy was running quickly down the street, played with the dog in the park."
Remember:
While participial phrases are great for adding vivid descriptions, make sure they are grammatically sound by incorporating them into complete sentences or providing the missing subject and verb.