This document discusses sentence fragments and how to identify and correct them. It defines a sentence as having a subject and predicate that expresses a complete thought. A fragment lacks one of these elements. The document describes several types of fragments, including dependent word fragments, -ing and to fragments, added detail fragments, and those lacking a subject or predicate. It provides examples and explains strategies for correcting each type, such as attaching the fragment to another sentence or adding a subject or verb.

1. SENTENCE VS
FRAGMENTS

2. SENTENCE
• A sentence has two characteristics:
• 1. It has a subject and predicate
• 2. It expresses a complete and independence
thought.
• If either of these characteristics is missing
from a group of words written as a
“sentence”, the result is an error called a
sentence fragment .

3. FRAGMENTS
 A word group that lacks a subject or
a verb or does not express a
complete thought.
Fails to be a sentence in the sense
that it cannot stand by itself.

4. EXAMPLE OF FRAGMENTS
 Incomplete Thought
After he went to work .
No Sentence Subject
Going to school .
No Sentence Predicate
The young, attractive woman .

5. TYPES OF FRAGMENTS
• Dependent-Word Fragments
• –ing and to Fragments
• Added-Detail Fragments
• No Sentence Subject
• No Sentence Predicate
•

6. Dependent-Word Fragments
• Some word groups that begin with dependent words are
fragments: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if,
even though, how, if, in order to, since, so that, that, unless,
until, what, whatever, when, whenever, where, whereas,
wherever, whether, which, whichever, while, who, whoever,
whose
• EXAMPLE:
• We do research on the Internet. Whenever we plan to make a
major purchase.

7. Correcting Dependent-
Word Fragments
• Attach it to the sentence that comes before or
after it.
We do research on the Internet. Whenever
we plan to make a major purchase.
We do research on the Internet whenever we
plan to make a major purchase

8. Correcting Dependent-
Word Fragments
 If the dependent-word group comes first, use
a comma.
 While some students work very hard. Others
try to get by with a minimum of effort.
While some students work very hard, others
try to get by with a minimum of effort.

9. Correcting Dependent-
Word Fragments
o Eliminate the dependent word by rewriting
the sentence
On his way to work, Bill took a shortcut.
Which he thought would enable him to avoid
traffic lights and get him to the office faster.
On his way to work, Bill took a shortcut to
avoid traffic lights and to get to the office
faster.

10. –ing and to Fragments
–ing word at or near the start of the word group -
often a participial phrase
 The astronomer gazed intently through the
telescope. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the meteor.
to + verb at or near the start of the word group -
often an infinitive phrase
 In an effort to get to the airport on time. We left the
house at four o’clock in the morning.

11. Correcting –ing and to
Fragments
Attach the fragment to the sentence that
comes before or after it
The astronomer gazed intently through the
telescope. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the
meteor.
The astronomer gazed intently through the
telescope, hoping to catch a glimpse of the
meteor

12. Correcting –ing and to
Fragments
• Add a subject or verb to the fragment to make
it a sentence
 He works eight hours a day. Then going to
class for three hours.
 He works eight hours a day. Then he goes to
class for three hours.

13. A Note on –ing and to
Fragments
-ing words may be sometimes be gerunds
(verb forms used as nouns)
Writing good essays can be challenging
to + verb’ may be an infinitive (or infinitive
phrase) that serves as the subject
 To achieve our goals, we work hard…

14. Added-Detail Fragments
 Lack a subject and verb
 Some common words and phrases lead to these
fragments: especially, except, for example, including,
not even, particularly, such as.
 All software in the store is on sale. Except video
games.
 Several basic courses are required for graduation.
Among them, English Composition, an introductory
math course, and one general science course.

15. Correcting Added-Detail
Fragments
Attach the fragment to the sentence that
comes before or after it
All software in the store is on sale except
video games.
Add a subject or verb to the fragment to make
it a sentence

16. Correcting No Sentence
Subject
Add on a subject (person, place, thing, or
idea), i.e.
the “do-er” to act on the verb in the
sentence.
Change the verb form to fit with the subject.
Running fast down the hall.
He was running fast down the hall

17. Correcting No Sentence
Predicate
 Add on a verb (physical or mental action or a
state of being)
 to “do” the action of the “do-er,” i.e. the
subject
Mainly, the passage of time.
Mainly, the passage of time quickened