Transcript Fragments - Tulsa Community College

Fragments
How to Identify and Correct Them
NEC FACET Center
What makes a sentence a sentence?
A sentence must have
A subject
 A verb
 A complete thought (says something
about something)

verb
complete
thought
subject
Complete
sentence
Grammar review
A verb is:
The main action of a sentence
The dog barked at the furry rabbit.
All of the choir members sang in unison.
Verna discovered a new way of researching.
Grammar review
A subject is:
The part of a sentence that the
main verb is speaking directly about
The dog barked at the furry rabbit.
All of the choir members sang in unison.
Verna discovered a new way of researching.
What is a fragment?
An incomplete thought, posing as a
sentence. (It is not a complete
sentence.)
A fragment
is
Sorry.
A fragment
is
missing.
missing
something.
Which of these are fragments?

In the morning, I bought.
These are either missing
a subject or a verb, or
they are not making a
thought.
homecomplete
seems
so long.

Because the drive

Talking to the neighbor downstairs.

From morning to night.
All of these phrases
are fragments.
There are 4 main types of fragments.

Dependent-word fragments

-ing and to fragments

Added-detail fragments

Missing-subject fragments
1. Dependent word fragments
However, they do not
make a complete
thought.
These are tricky
because they do have a
subject and verb.
Clauses
A clause is a group of words containing a
subject and a verb.
 An independent
 A dependent clause
clause contains a
contains a subject and
subject, a verb, and
a verb, but it does not
makes a complete
make a complete
thought.
thought.
 A dependent clause
depends on an
independent clause to
Complete
complete the thought.
Dependent
Clause
Sentence
Independent
Clause
Independent Clause
Example:
Verb
Bob joined the circus.
Subject
This sentence contains a subject, a
verb, and makes sense when it
stands alone.
The entire sentence
makes a complete
thought
Don’t leave Clause
me
Dependent
hanging!
Example:
verb
Although the book belonged to Jim.
subject
This sentence has a
subject and a verb, but
it leaves us hanging.
Subordinating words

Certain words can change an independent
clause into a dependent clause.

These are called subordinating conjunctions,
and they introduce a dependent clause.
Example: Even though the coffee shop is open
late in the evening.
Subordinating
conjunction
Subordinating Conjunctions
Watch out for these words!
After, although, though, as, because, before,
even though, how, if, even if, in order that,
since, that, so that, unless, until, what,
whatever, when, whenever, where, wherever,
whether, which, whichever, while, who, whoever,
whose, once, provided that, whereas, rather
than
Correcting Dependent Statements
Revision method #1: take away the
subordinating conjunction and capitalize
the next word.
Subordinating
conjunction
This method
tends to
create short,
choppy
sentences.
Use it
sparingly!
Example: Even though The coffee shop is open
late in the evening.
Correcting Dependent Statements
Revision method #2: combine the
dependent clause with an independent
clause to create a complete sentence.
Subordinating
Conjunction
Example: Even though the coffee shop is open
late in the evening, it is not open 24 hours.
Independent Clause
Rule: If the dependent clause
includes a subordinating
conjunction and comes at the
beginning of the sentence, use a
comma to set it apart from the
independent clause.
This lets the reader know
the information before
the comma cannot stand
alone as an independent
statement.
Examples:
These do not make complete thoughts.
After
you
out
the
trash.
After you
taketake
out the
trash,
please
help me wash the dishes.
We did not
the letter
until brought
5:00 p.m. since
maillate.
carrier
Since
thegetmail
carrier
thethe
mail
brought the mail late.
Until wewe
buybuy
a newamicrowave,
we will have to make our
Until
new microwave.
popcorn on the stove.
Can you fix these dependent-word
fragments?

Whenever the timer rings.

After we meet with my daughter’s
teacher.

Which came as quite a surprise since we
had no idea.
Things to remember:

Use a comma if the
dependent clause
is at the beginning
of a sentence.
Ex: Even though it was
2:30 a.m., the telephone
rang.

Do NOT use a
comma if the
dependent clause
is at the end of a
sentence.
Ex: The telephone rang
even though it was 2:30
a.m.
2. –ing and to fragments
These thoughts
are incomplete.
Trying
to thread the needle.
I spent several minutes trying to thread the needle.
To
become
a writer,
better
writer.
To become
a better
you must
practice writing several
times a week.
To
finish this paperwork by noon today.
I will try to finish this paperwork by noon today.
Flying
in on United from San Diego.
My cousin will be flying in on United from San Diego.
Identifying -ing fragments

These fragments often lack a subject.

They usually refer to the subject in the
previous sentence.
The –ing fragment is
referring to the subject I.
Example: I stayed at home all day. Waiting for
the doctor to return my call.
Identifying -ing fragments

Sometimes -ing fragments lack a subject
and a verb.
She plans to visit France. During summer
break.
The –ing fragment is
Who is doing
referring
to the
what
subject
during
she
from
thethe
summer
previous
semester? It is also
sentence.
referring to the verb
phrase plans to visit.
Correcting -ing fragments
1.
Attach the –ing fragment to the sentence
before it or after it according to what
makes sense.
She
plans to visit France. During summer
She plans to visit France during summer break.
break.
Nearing thethe
school
zone, I zone.
slowed the
car to 25 miles
per
Nearing
school
I slowed
the car
hour.
to
25 miles per hour.
Correcting -ing fragments
2.
Add a subject and change the –ing verb
to the correct form. Check for subjectverb agreement.
Studying constantly. I will succeed in
I study constantly, so I will succeed in English.
English.
The business grew last year. Including a
The business grew last year to include a new IT division.
new IT division.
Correcting to fragments

Attach the fragment to the sentence
before it or after it depending on what
makes sense.
I plan on leaving Friday. To go hiking in
I plan on leaving Friday to go hiking in the mountains.
the
mountains.
To ensure
his prompt
arrival, Paul arrival.
left the house
twenty
To
ensure
his prompt
Paul
left the
minutes early.
house twenty minutes early.
Can you fix these fragments?

Wanting more out of life.

To wash dishes, clean the house, and mow
the lawn.

Keeping the dog for my sister-in-law.
3. Added-detail fragments
These are missing a
subject, a verb, or both.
They sometimes begin
with one of these words.

Especially

Except

For example

Including

Such as

Also
Examples of added-detail fragments
IEspecially
love the new picture
bought,
especially
the ones.
blue,
the frames
blue,you
red,
and
yellow
red, and yellow ones.
of the
old
pictures
found
IIncluding
will bring somesome
family pieces
to the
reunion,
includingI some
old
pictures
in the attic.
in theI found
attic.
For example, the yellow rose bushes in
the backyard.
For example, I will trim the yellow rose bushes in the backyard.
Correcting added-detail fragments
Attach the fragment to the preceding
sentence to make a complete thought.
1.

Rule: Use a comma before transitional words
(except, such as, for example, including).
My favorite when
summer I
activity
sailing,
when I fall
Except
fall isout
of except
the boat.
out of the boat!
Correcting added-detail fragments
2. Add a subject and verb to make it a
complete sentence.
Example:
Like flames under his feet!
Aaron dances like there are flames under his feet!
Can you fix these fragments?

Except for the macaroni and cheese.

For example, the bus station on Harvard.

Such as eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee.
4. Missing-subject fragments
And
then forgot to take a pen and paper
Then I forgot to take a pen and paper with me.
with me.
Also, began to complain against my
She also began to complain against my supervisor.
supervisor.
These
Now are
all
missing
these
are
a
subject!
correct!
But discovered nothing was there except
But I discovered there was nothing there except for a piece of
for
piece
of paper
with my name on it.
paperawith
my name
on it.
Correcting missing-subject fragments
Missing-subject fragments, like –ing and
to fragments, usually refer to the subject
in the previous sentence.
 2 ways to correct these fragments:



1. attach it to the preceding sentence.
2. add a subject.
Each sentence
must have a
subject and a
verb!
Do not assume
the subject and
verb carry over
from the
preceding
sentence.
Can you correct these fragments?

Began watching the show without her
because I didn’t want to wait.

And stopped in at the front desk on her
way to the elevator.

Bargain shopped for a long time before he
found this amazing piece.
Last tip:
To decide whether a group of words is
a sentence or a fragment,
Look from one period to another period and ask:
1. Does this have a subject and a verb?
2. Does it make a complete thought?
Locate the fragments in this paragraph by looking from
one period to another period.
Tomorrow we will begin our new diet. Which
consists of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and some lean
meats. Because we will crave fatty foods. We will
need to stay away from McDonald’s and load our
kitchen with healthy foods. Making sure we keep a
log in our food journals. When the weekend comes.
We will treat ourselves. To one ice-cream cone from
Braum’s and one other high-calorie snack. I am
ready for this diet. Because I am tired of feeling
sluggish and overweight.
(The fragments are in bold.)
How can we fix these?
Tomorrow we will begin our new diet. Which
consists of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and some lean
meats. Because we will crave fatty foods. We will
need to stay away from McDonald’s and load our
kitchen with healthy foods. Making sure we keep a
log in our food journals. When the weekend
comes. We will treat ourselves. To one ice-cream
cone from Braum’s and one other high-calorie
snack. I am ready for this diet. Because I am tired
of feeling sluggish and overweight.
Tomorrow we will begin our new diet, which consists
of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and some lean meats.
Because we will crave fatty foods, we will need to
stay away from McDonald’s and load our kitchen
with healthy foods. We will also keep a log in our
food journals. When the weekend comes, we will
treat ourselves to one ice-cream cone from Braum’s
and one other high-calorie snack. I am ready for this
diet because I am tired of feeling sluggish and
overweight.
Remember. . .
Keep these rules in mind as you edit your work.