Sentence Fragements

Lesson 5: Sentence Errors (Fragments)||
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A sentence fragment results when you intend to write a sentence, but instead you write a group of words that is missing one or more components of a sentence. (action, subject, complete or independent thought).

The sentence is the main unit of written communication in our language. If we do not write in complete sentences, our academic performance will suffer, and we will be judged negatively by teachers and by employers.


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FRAGEMENT EXAMPLES:
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1. Missing the verb:

-Soccer, a religion in most cultures.
-George Bush, a man of great concern.


2. Missing a helping verb:
(Some verb forms do not count as main verbs in a sentence. They are disqualified. Examples are the "ing" verbs called gerunds or present participles).

-Doris fumbling to find her pencil to write down the phone number.
In this sentence subject "Doris", verb "fumbling", but you don't have a sentence because fumbling is not a legitimate verd, it is a gerund. - FIX: Add the helping verb "is" (is fumbling).

3. Creating a phrase:
(Other verb forms that don't count as main verbs in a sentence are the verbs beginning with "to". These are called infinitives or infinitive phrases such as "to swim")

-Jill, to play badminton with her skill and speed.
In this sentence subject "Jill", verb "to play" but "to play" is an infinitive phrase and therefore, ineligible to be a main verb.
- FIX: Add "would be great." at the end.


4. Creating a dependent clause:
(Dependent clauses are traps because they have subjects and verbs. they do not, however express a complete thought).

-The man who was slapped while chewing tobacco.




PLEASE NOTE: In some cases, fragments are acceptable if written for literary, journalistic, or other purposes. I will not discuss this tough