Fragments

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Fragments
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What is a fragment?

• A fragment is a group of words that is missing
  parts of a complete sentence.
• Remember that any sentence, in order to be
  complete, must express a complete thought and
  must include both a subject and a verb.

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• Sentence
• There I was, in the middle of my morning shower,
  when it happened.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• There I was, in the middle of my morning shower.
  When it happened.

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How can you find a fragment?

• Ask Is there a subject in the word group? A
  verb?
• Ask Does the word group express a complete
  thought?
• If the answer to any of these questions is no,
  then the word group is a fragment.

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Emily was a little nervous about Monday. Her
  first day at her new job.
• A) Emily was a little nervous about Monday.
• B) Her first day at her new job.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Emily was a little nervous about Monday. Her
  first day at her new job.
• ANSWER
• A) Emily was a little nervous about Monday.
• B) Her first day at her new job.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Because she wanted to be rested in the morning.
  Emily knew she had to go to sleep.
• A) Because she wanted to be rested in the
  morning.
• B) Emily knew she had to go to sleep.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Because she wanted to be rested in the morning.
  Emily knew she had to go to sleep.
• ANSWER
• A) Because she wanted to be rested in the
  morning.
• B) Emily knew she had to go to sleep.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Soon she fell asleep. Feeling better about the
  next day already, she slept well.
• A) Soon she fell asleep.
• B) Feeling better about the next day already, she
  slept well.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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Which of the following is a fragment?

• Soon she fell asleep. Feeling better about the
  next day already, she slept well.
• ANSWER
• A) Soon she fell asleep.
• B) Feeling better about the next day already, she
  slept well.
• C) neither of the above
• D) both of the above

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How can you correct a fragment?

• There are two basic ways to fix a fragment
• Add what is missing (a subject, a verb, or
  both).
• Attach the fragment to the sentence before or
  after it.

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Fragments that start with prepositions

• What is a preposition?
• A preposition connects a noun, pronoun, or verb
  with other information about it.
• Remember While phrases that begin with
  prepositions usually contain a noun, this noun
  cannot be the subject of the sentence.
• Example After the swim meet, I went out for
  dinner.
• In this sentence, I is the subject, not the swim
  meet.

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How do you correct fragments that start with
prepositions?

• Correct the fragment by joining it to the
  sentence before or after it.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• Some parents worry. About their childrens
  imaginary companions.
• Corrected sentence
• Some parents worry about their childrens
  imaginary companions.

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How would you correct this fragment?

• After finishing my piano lesson one day. I took a
  little walk through Mr. Licarras forest.  
• A) After finishing my piano lesson one day, I
  took a little walk through Mr. Licarras forest. 
• B) After finishing my piano lesson. One day, I
  took a little walk through Mr. Licarras forest. 
• C) I took a little walk through Mr. Licarras
  forest. After finishing my piano lesson one day.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• After finishing my piano lesson one day. I took a
  little walk through Mr. Licarras forest.  
• ANSWER
• A) After finishing my piano lesson one day, I
  took a little walk through Mr. Licarras forest. 
• B) After finishing my piano lesson. One day, I
  took a little walk through Mr. Licarras forest. 
• C) I took a little walk through Mr. Licarras
  forest. After finishing my piano lesson one day.
• D) no change

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Fragments that start with dependent words

• What is a dependent word?
• A dependent word (also called a subordinating
  conjunction) is the first word in a dependent
  clause.
• Remember A dependent clause is not a sentence
  because it does not express a complete thought,
  even though it contains a subject and a verb.
• Example Since I won the meet. I have not stopped
  smiling.
• Since I won has a subject (I) and a verb (won),
  but it doesnt express a complete thought. (What
  happened since I won?)

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How do you correct fragments that start with a
dependent word?

• Connect a fragment that starts with a dependent
  word to the sentence before or after it.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• There I was, in the middle of my morning shower.
  When it happened.
• Corrected sentence
• There I was, in the middle of my morning shower,
  when it happened.

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How would you correct this fragment?

• I hate when I cant finish my shower. Because I
  suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water.  
• A) I hate when I cant finish my shower because.
  I suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water.
• B) I hate when I cant finish my shower because I
  suddenly get nothing. But freezing cold water. 
• C) I hate when I cant finish my shower because I
  suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water. 
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• I hate when I cant finish my shower. Because I
  suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water.  
• ANSWER
• A) I hate when I cant finish my shower because.
  I suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water.
• B) I hate when I cant finish my shower because I
  suddenly get nothing. But freezing cold water. 
• C) I hate when I cant finish my shower because I
  suddenly get nothing but freezing cold water. 
• D) no change

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Fragments that start with ing verb forms

• What is an ing verb form?
• An ing verb form (also called a gerund) is the
  form of a verb that ends in ing walking,
  writing, running.
• Remember Unless it comes with a helping verb
  (like was), an ing verb form cannot be a
  complete verb in a sentence. It can, however, be
  the subject of a sentence.
• Example
• Walking is good exercise.

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How do you correct fragments that start with ing
verb forms?

• Correct a fragment that starts with an ing verb
  form either by adding the missing elements of the
  sentence (such as a subject and a helping verb)
  or by connecting it to the previous or next
  sentence.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• I was humming to myself. Walking down the road.
• Corrected sentences
• I was humming to myself. I was walking down the
  road.
• I was humming to myself, walking down the road.

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How would you correct this fragment?

• I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty. Emphasizing the things I do have, not
  the ones I dont.  
• A) I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty. Emphasizing the things I do have. Not
  the ones I dont. 
• B) I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty, emphasizing the things I do have, not
  the ones I dont. 
• C) I realized that I had to rise about this
  difficulty, emphasizing. The things I do have,
  not the ones I dont.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty. Emphasizing the things I do have, not
  the ones I dont.  
• ANSWER
• A) I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty. Emphasizing the things I do have. Not
  the ones I dont. 
• B) I realized that I had to rise above this
  difficulty, emphasizing the things I do have, not
  the ones I dont. 
• C) I realized that I had to rise about this
  difficulty, emphasizing. The things I do have,
  not the ones I dont.
• D) no change

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Fragments that start with to and a verb

• What is to and a verb?
• To and a verb is also known as the infinitive
  form of a verb.
• Remember If a word group begins with to and a
  verb, it must contain another verb, or it is not
  a complete sentence. To and a verb can be the
  subject of a sentence.
• Example
• To run a complete marathon was my goal.

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How do you correct fragments that start with to
and a verb?

• Correct a fragment that starts with to and a verb
  by joining it to the sentence before or after it,
  or by adding the missing sentence elements.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• It was my goal. To run a complete marathon.
• Corrected sentences
• It was my goal to run a complete marathon.
• It was my goal. I wanted to run a complete
  marathon.

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How would you correct this fragment?

• It was important for me. To run smaller races
  first.
• A) It was important for me to run. Smaller races
  first.
• B) It was important. For me to run smaller races
  first.
• C) It was important for me to run smaller races
  first.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• It was important for me. To run smaller races
  first.
• ANSWER
• A) It was important for me to run. Smaller races
  first.
• B) It was important. For me to run smaller races
  first.
• C) It was important for me to run smaller races
  first.
• D) no change

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Fragments that are examples or explanations

• This type of sentence fragment can be harder to
  recognize because there is no single word or kind
  of word to look for. Sometimes, fragments like
  this will start with words like especially, for
  example, like, or such as.
• Example
• I wanted to paint my room a warm color. Like
  orange or red.

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How do you correct fragments that are examples or
explanations?

• Correct a fragment that is an example or
  explanation by adding the missing sentence
  elements or by joining it to the sentence before
  or after it.
• Sentence followed by a fragment
• I wanted to paint my room a warm color. Like
  orange or red.
• Corrected sentences
• I wanted to paint my room a warm color. I looked
  for paint that was orange or red.
• I wanted to paint my room a warm color like
  orange or red.

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How would you correct this fragment?

• It was not difficult. The choice between paint
  colors.
• A) It was not difficult, the choice. Between
  paint colors.
• B) It was not difficult. It is easy to make the
  choice between paint colors.
• C) It was not difficult, the choice between.
  Paint colors.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• It was not difficult. The choice between paint
  colors.
• ANSWER
• A) It was not difficult, the choice. Between
  paint colors.
• B) It was not difficult. It is easy to make the
  choice between paint colors.
• C) It was not difficult, the choice between.
  Paint colors.
• D) no change

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More to try

• How would you correct this fragment?
• Some people like to move frequently. Finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• A) Some people like to move frequently. Finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• B) Some people like to move frequently, finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town, they enjoy
  the challenge.
• C) Some people like to move frequently, finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• D) no change

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• How would you correct this fragment?
• Some people like to move frequently. Finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• ANSWER
• A) Some people like to move frequently. Finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• B) Some people like to move frequently, finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town, they enjoy
  the challenge.
• C) Some people like to move frequently, finding
  excitement in a new job in a new town. They enjoy
  the challenge.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• Moving frequently is not easy. For everyone.
• A) Moving frequently is not easy for everyone.
• B) Moving frequently is not easy. For everyone.
• C) Moving frequently is. Not easy for everyone.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• Moving frequently is not easy. For everyone.
• ANSWER
• A) Moving frequently is not easy for everyone.
• B) Moving frequently is not easy. For everyone.
• C) Moving frequently is. Not easy for everyone.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• My sister and I have very different views. About
  the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do not
  have to choose the same kind of life.
• A) My sister and I have. Very different views
  about the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• B) My sister and I have very different views
  about the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• C) My sister and I have very different views.
  About the ideal way to live, fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• D) no change

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How would you correct this fragment?

• My sister and I have very different views. About
  the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do not
  have to choose the same kind of life.
• ANSWER
• A) My sister and I have. Very different views
  about the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• B) My sister and I have very different views
  about the ideal way to live. Fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• C) My sister and I have very different views.
  About the ideal way to live, fortunately, we do
  not have to choose the same kind of life.
• D) no change