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Avoiding Sentence Fragments
Making Sure Your Sentences Are
Complete
Chapter 4, pg 74
Talking in fragments Many times, when we speak, we
use fragments.
However, when we write (unless we are directly quoting a conversation), we need to formalize the writing.
Complete Sentences To be complete, a sentence must have
a subjectand
a verband
express a completed idea.
Note: It has a capital letter at the beginning and punctuation such as a period, exclamation point or question mark at the end. (= full stop)
Example:
•My homework is taking every waking hour. Complete sentence!
INCLUDES •Subject (My homework)•Verb (is taking)
and•Expresses a complete idea (I’m tired!)
So all you have to remember is:
A sentence is not complete or correct, unless
It has a subject, it has a verb, and it expresses a completed idea.
Fragment
A Fragment is piece of a sentence
can be missing a subject, can be missing a verb, or can fail to express a completed idea.
Fragments
The architect to my office. No VERB: Doesn’t express the action
Brought the plans to my office. No SUBJECT: Doesn’t explain who or what
No COMPLETED IDEA. Brought what?
The architect brought.
Understanding Fragments (Exercise 2, pg 77)
1. returned to the river No subject: Doesn’t explain who or what
2. a bird on the oak branch No verb: Doesn’t express the action
Missing subject AND the verb3. between the island and the main land
Identify if the subject, verb, both, or if the statement does not reflect a complete thought.
Correcting a Fragment
1. Add the missing part(s)
OR
2. Join the fragment to the sentence.
Phrases A phrase is a group of words
belonging together but lacking one or more of the three elements necessary for a sentence.
Phrases (pg 80)
Noun phrase – a noun with all of its modifiersPrepositional phrase – a preposition+ its modifiers
Verb phrase – a main verb with its helping verbs/modifiers
Infinitive phrase – the word “to”+verb + other words completing the phrase.
Participial Phrase – a present or past participle and the other words that complete the phrase.
Gerund phrase – present participle and the other words that complete the phrase
Common Fragment TypesAPPOSITIVE PHRASE: Words that
explain or add extra information
I tried everything I could think of to get an A. Such as bribing the professor.
I tried everything I could think of to get an A, such as bribing the professor.
FRAGMENT
Correct
Common Fragment Types
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE I hope to complete the requirements for
my major. By the end of next semester.
I hope to complete the requirements for my major by the end of next semester.
FRAGMENT
Correct
Common Fragment Types
INCOMPLETE VERBS: past or present participles without the helping verb
The student sleeping in the back row.
The student was sleeping in the back row.
FRAGMENT
Correct
Common Fragment TypesDependent Clause: Group of words that
contains a subject and verb but doesn’t express a complete thought because of the beginning word.
I kept working on my essay. Although I was tired.
I kept working on my essay, although I was tired.
FRAGMENT
Correct
One Common Problem Area It is OK for a subject to be a pronoun.
Example: I can’t decide what to do. It is a difficult situation.
Subject: It Verb: Is Completed idea: a difficult situation
As long as there is a word that acts as subject (it) the sentence fits the “subject/verb/completed idea” formula.
How To Check for Fragments
Put the words “It is clear that …” in front of the possible fragment. Does it make sense? If so, it’s a complete sentence.
EXAMPLE:
It is difficult. Fragment or sentence?
It’s clear that it is difficult. (Makes sense, so not a fragment.)
Because it is difficult. Fragment or sentence?
It’s clear that because it is difficult. (?? Doesn’t make sense so is a fragment.)
Watch Out for a Common Trap!
Just because you write a lot of words, you don’t necessarily have a complete sentence.
Although I have tried many ways to get an “A”, such as paying off the professor and offering to carry her books to class each day and assuring her that I love my writing class more than life itself.
FRAGMENT! You haven’t finished the “although” idea, so you haven’t finished your thought.
But you knew that, because you remembered that…
…a sentence is not complete or correct, unless
• It has a subject;• it has a verb,• and it expresses a completed idea.
Developing Paragraphs: Illustration
Chapter 18, pg 320
Illustration Examples A method of developing an idea by
providing one or more instances of that idea. Clarify the idea Make the idea more convincing Make an abstract idea more concrete
Where can we find examples? Personal experience/knowledge Imagination Interviews and surveys Outside research
Look @ pg 322, read Exercise 1. What kind of illustration is each?
What order should I put it in?
time-order if the example is a story Spatial order (left to right, top to
bottom) Logical order
If no order seems necessary, put your strongest example last.
Homework Do the exercises and activities up to pg
331. For your journal assignment, CHOOSE
one ASSIGNMENT from pgs 332-335. Write a illustrative paragraph about one
of the topics suggested. You will be graded on your illustration,
and use of our vocabulary words/ grammar that we have covered so far.