Recognizing and Revising

Recognizing and Revising

Fragment Sentences

Fragments are the most common types of sentence errors at this level. Let’s have a look at the different types fragments and a few of the ways to fix them.

Fragments

Fragment sentences are incomplete thoughts. They miss either a subject or verb that would complete the sentence. While all fragment sentences are missing something, there are a few specific types of fragments you should watch for:

· dependent word fragments;

· prepositional phrase fragments;

· -ing verb fragments;

· explanatory fragments.

Examining each type of fragment will help you to recognize and fix them in your own writing.

Dependent Word Fragments

These fragments are fragments because they tend to begin with words that modify the idea presented in the sentence before them. On their own, they are not complete sentences. The first of the next sentences is fine, but the one after it (in red) is a dependent word fragment.

My son was sent home from day care today. Because he had a high fever.

Revise this sentence by one of two ways: (correcting moves in red)

1) connect the fragment to previous sentence, or

a) My son was sent home from day care today because he had a high fever.

2) leave out dependent word to create a complete thought.

a) My son was sent home from day care today. He had a high fever.

Check for this type of fragment by proofreading your work for a subject, verb, and complete, thought unbroken by a period.

Prepositional Phrase/Added-Detail Fragments

Prepositions (words that show objects/entities in relation to other objects/entities) are a lot like dependent words and the problem with this type of fragment is much like the previous type as well.

The first of the next sentences is fine, but the one after it (in red) is a dependent word fragment.

Christopher Reeve is making a Hollywood comeback. With the support of his family.

“With the support of his family” is a fragment because it misses both a subject and a verb – both of which are present in the previous sentence.

Revise this sentence in one of two ways: (correcting moves in red)

1) Connect the fragment to the previous sentence;

a) Christopher Reeve is making a Hollywood comeback with the support of his family.

2) Rewrite the fragment to include a subject and verb.

a) Christopher Reeve is making a Hollywood comeback. He has the support of his family.

-ing Verb Fragments

Verbs that end in “-ing” are never complete verbs in themselves, so even if they appear with a subject, you would still have a fragment. In checking for this type of fragment, look for sentences that begin with “-ing” words.

The first of the next sentences is fine, but the one after it (in red) is a dependent word fragment.

The senator appealed to working parents. Hoping to generate support for her new childcare bill.

There are 3 ways to revise –ing verb fragment sentences: (correcting moves in red)

1) Connect the fragment to the previous sentence.

a) The senator appealed to working parents, hoping to generate support for her new childcare bill.

2) Rewrite the sentence to add in missing subject and verb.

a) The senator appealed to working parents. She hoped to generate support for her new childcare bill.

3) Connect sentences and reverse order

a) Hoping to generate support for her new childcare bill, the senator appealed to working parents.

i) Note: this type of revision does begin with an –ing form verb, but is as much a complete sentence as #1. They both connect the modifying and main clauses, but present them in a different order.

Explanatory Fragments

A great deal of fragments happen when writers try to explain something from the previous sentence in a new sentence. Often, these explanatory fragments are best joined to the previous sentence.

Advertisements for jeans target American youth. Especially those between fifteen and nineteen years old.

To correct this type of error, connect the fragment sentence to the preceding sentence.

Advertisements for jeans target American youth, especially those between fifteen and nineteen years old.

Generally, the best way to proofread for fragment sentences is to make sure that each of your sentences has a subject, verb, and is a complete thought, though you can try out some of the other revision methods above.