Summary:
A sentence fragment is precisely what it sounds like: an incomplete sentence. In more grammatical terms, it is a dependent clause standing on its own as a sentence. For example,
Trying to catch up.
To look for salamanders in the cave.
When the sky changes.
Including the eggs and milk.
And ran towards across the field.
A woman who speaks four languages.
These phrases appear to need more information to complete them: they are all missing either a subject or a main verb. What was ‘trying to catch up’? Who went ‘to look for salamanders in the cave’? What will happen when ‘the sky changes’? We use fragments a lot in our speech, which is fine because speech is mainly expressing our thoughts, fully formed or not. The writing process, however, requires you to organize your thoughts and express yourself in a more polished way. Thus, fragments are generally not suited to formal, written work.
What do they do to my writing?
Fragments do not form a complete thought like a sentence does, and so having too many of them will either confuse your reader or make your writing sound choppy (not smooth). Take a look at this paragraph and see what fragments can do to your writing:
A Socratic dialogue often involves two people. People who are discussing a single idea in several stages. One of these speakers is putting forward a claim. Arguing that one approach to the idea is more valid than the other. The other speaker, refuting the same claim. The dialogue proceeds using a series of questions and answers. And comes to a conclusion in which one speaker realizes his or her argument is unsound.
Generally, the way to fix fragment sentences is to link them to a main/independent clause to make a sentence that expresses a complete thought. Let us rewrite the paragraph above, getting rid of the fragments by attaching them to main clauses.
A Socratic dialogue often involves two people discussing a single idea in several stages. One of these speakers puts forward a claim, and argues that one approach to the idea is more valid than the other. The other speaker refutes that same claim. The dialogue then proceeds using a series of questions and answers, and comes to a conclusion in which one speaker realizes his or her argument is unsound.
Although there are times when it is useful to do away with fragments, there are also times when fragments make your writing better. You might notice fragments in journalistic writing or in novels, in which fragments help excite the pace or emphasize key phrases. Fragments can be useful, but it is one of those things that we must master before being able to employ them effectively. And mastering them means being exposed to how they are used correctly, and being able to tell the more erroneous fragments from the less erroneous ones.
How do I find and fix them?
There are several types of fragments to keep an eye out for.
1. Subordinated fragments
Quick Find: Check if your 'sentence' starts with a subordinating conjunction. If the sentence doesn't complete the thought, there is a good chance you have a fragment.
Quick Fix: Delete the subordinating word (the relative pronoun or adverb) or add a main clause.
Subordinating fragments start with subordinate conjunctions, which come in a variety of categories:
- Cause and Effect: because, since, so that, as a results
- Time or Place: once, while, before, when, where, after, until
- Possibility: if, unless
- Comparison or Contrast: although, though, whereas
- Manner: how
- Relation: that, which
These are very useful in your writing, but if they come without a main clause to attach to, you end up with a sentence fragment. For example:
When the sky changes.
Until I see you again.
Because they tried.
To locate such fragments, check to see if you are starting your ‘sentences’ with subordinating words but fail to appear alongside a main clause. To fix these fragments, you can either
1. get rid of the subordinating word (because, who, where, until, as though) from the ‘sentence’
When the sky changes = The sky changes.
Until I see you again = I should see you again.
Because they tried = They tried.
2. or you may add a main clause
We will know the time of day when the sky changes.
I can only count the days until I see you again.
They learned a lot about cooking because they tried
OR
Because they tried, they learned a lot about cooking.
2. Participle phrase fragments
Quick Find: See if the only verb in your 'sentence' ends with an -ing or-ed, and as a result keeps the sentence from completing its thought. Also check to see if the 'sentence' lacks a subject governing the action of one of these verbs.
Quick Fix: Add a subject to the sentence, or add a main clause.
These types of fragments begin with –ing or –ed, and like all fragments, do not contain a main clause. Some examples are:
Including the soup and spices.
Worked hard to get there.
Being a good boy.
To fix them,
1. add a subject (especially for the –ed s)
She worked hard to get there.
2. or add a main clause (before or after your participle phrase) and put a comma between them
Remember to get the ingredients for the chicken dish, including the soup and spices.
Chauncey never barks at strangers, being a good boy. (or) Being a good boy, Chauncey never barks at strangers.
3. Infinitive phrase fragments
Quick Find: Check if your 'sentence' needs more information to complete a thought. Then, see if your 'sentence' is starting with an infinitive (to + a verb).
Quick Fix: Change the verb form and add a subject or add a main clause.
Infinitive phrase fragments start with to + a verb. For example,
To look for salamanders in the cave.
To think of tomorrow.
Only to be wasted.
Fixing this type of fragment entails either
1. removing the ‘to’ (changing the infinitive form of the verb) and adding a subject
She looked for salamanders in the cave
He thought of tomorrow
The meal was only wasted
2. or to add a main clause that connects meaningfully.
She went out to look for salamanders in the cave
He did not want to think of tomorrow
The meal was made, only to be wasted.
4. Afterthought Fragments
Quick Find: Check if your 'sentence' is giving extra information about something that is not there (i.e. the main clause), or needs more information to complete a thought.
Quick Fix: Add a subject and a verb or add a main clause.
An afterthought fragment occurs when your ‘sentence’ is giving specific/extra information about something without clarifying what that something is. Examples include:
Especially him.
Like ninjas, bushido, and katanas being the samurai’s primary weapon.
To locate afterthoughts fragments, see if your ‘sentences’ start with words and phrases such as: especially, for example, for instance, excluding, including, like, and such as.
Fixing these fragments is done by either
1. adding a subject and verb
The team needed everyone, especially him.
Many myths about medieval Japan have sprung up in the popular imagination, like ninjas, bushido, and katanas being the samurai’s primary weapon.
2. or adding a main clause.
She especially despised him.
Things like ninjas, bushido, and katanas are historically inaccurate, or are at least historically anachronistic.
5. Subject(less) Fragments
Quick Find: Check if your 'sentence' is missing a clear grammatical subject.
Quick Fix: Add a subject or add a main clause.
As you might guess, these are fragments without a subject. These types of fragments are noticeable by their verbs, which clearly lack subjects. They also usually begin with coordinating conjunctions.
And ran across the field.
Yet remained still.
Since these fragments are subject(less),
1. adding a subject (sometimes removing the coordinating conjunction) to them is certainly one way to fix the problem.
She ran across the field
Yet they remained still/They remained still
2. The other way to solve this is to add a main clause.
She took off her sandals and ran across the field.
The thunder shook to dogs’ composure, yet they remained still.
6. Noun phrase Fragments
Quick Find: Check if your 'sentence' has just a noun and subordinate clause (especially in long 'sentences') without a clear verb.
Quick Fix: Add a verb or add a main clause.
A noun phrase fragment typically consists of a noun and a subordinate clause after it.
A woman who speaks four languages.
A gamer spending most of his time online.
To deal with fragments like these, you might either
1. add a verb:
A woman who speaks four languages is our professor.
A gamer prefers spending most of his time online.
2. add a main clause:
Riho was an overachiever, a woman who spoke four languages.
He was an inveterate gamer, spending most of his time online.
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