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You are here: Home / Grammar / Fragments

Fragments

When a writer capitalizes and punctuates a piece of a sentence as if it were a complete sentence, that’s a sentence fragment. The most common types of fragment are the following:
 
Verbal phrase punctuated like a sentence
Here are some examples of common mistakes:

  • Connecting the two pieces.
  • To find where the Beatles lived.
  • Therefore accomplishing his third goal.
  • Giving you reenactments of her past life.

To correct this type, add a subject and verb to the beginning of the phrase or add a verb plus adjective or noun.

  • Connecting the two pieces, he figured out the puzzle.
  • The couple looked online to find where the Beatles lived.
  • Therefore accomplishing his third goal, Timothy graduated medical school with honors.
  • Sheila was giving you reenactments of her past life.

Dependent clause of a complex sentence (the half of the sentence which begins with the connecting word.)
Here are some examples of common mistakes:

  • Because she got paid today.
  • A man who is complex to some.
  • Which are shiny and dappled.
  • Until someone releases them with a bite.

To correct this type, connect the dependent clause to the sentence before or after it (whichever makes sense).

  • Because she got paid today, Julie bought groceries.
  • A man who is complex to some, my father is open and clear with me.
  • The horses, which are shiny and dappled, played in the field.
  • The worms are stuck on the hook until someone releases them with a bite.

http://owl.ccd.edu/writ_resources/handouts/Frag_Exp.html

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