Fragments in Essay writing

1. Fragments

2. What is Fragments?
Fragments are pieces of sentences that have
become disconnected from the main clause.

3. Fragments fail to become sentence when
 They lack a subject or main verb.
They fail to convey a complete meaning.

4. Dependent word fragments
Many times fragments start with a dependent word
(subordinating conjunction) like because, when, if, as,
until, although, whenever, while.
To fix:
Usually a dependent word fragment can be combined
with a nearby sentence
the dependent word might need to be eliminated.

5. Example:
When the candidates either disagreed about
priorities or pushed for different strategies.
The candidates either disagreed about priorities
or pushed for different strategies.

6. Phrase Fragments
A phrase fragment is a fragment that lacks a subject or a
complete verb – or both.
 Phrase fragments often begin with verbals like “ing” words and
‘to’.
Most of the time these fragments can be revised:
by connecting them to a nearby sentence
the verbals are turned into a subject and verb phrase.

7. Example:
That summer, we had the time of our lives.
Fishing in the morning hours and splashing in the lake
after lunch.
That summer, we had the time of our lives.
We fished in the morning hours and splashed in the lake
after lunch. (Fishing is turned into subject/verb group we
fished. Notice that we had to change splashing to
splashed as well.)

8. Added detail fragments
Fragments that begin with words that introduce
examples.
Most of the time, the missing elements (both
subject and verb) need to be added.

9. Example:
Hansel and Gretel faced many dangers. For example,
their cruel stepmother, the wicked witch, and the dangers
of the forest.
Hansel and Gretel faced many dangers. For example,
they had to contend with their cruel stepmother, outsmart
the wicked witch, and survive the dangers of the forest.
(We had to supply the needed subject and verb (they
had) in order for this sentence to express a complete
idea.)

10. Missing subject Fragment
Some fragments are missing subjects.
Often the subject appears nearby, perhaps in the
preceding sentence; however, each sentence must have
a subject of its own.
The simplest way to correct this fragment is to add a
subject.

11. Example:
Was running late that day.
[Who was running late? The instructor? The
train? ]
I was running late that day.

12. References
Huddleston, Rodney (1984). Introduction to the Grammar of
English. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-29704-2.
Langdon, John. College Wrting Skills. McGraw-Hill Companies.
ISBN-13: 978-0073371658
“Sentence Fragments”. Butte
College.<http://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/gramma
r/fragments.html>
Retrieved on 13 August 2019
“Sentence Fragments”. Roanne State Community
college.<https://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Sentence-
Fragments.html> Retrieved on 13 August 2019