Sentence Fragments
(see LBB,
chapter 35, pages 326-331)
A complete
sentence:
- Has a clear subject
- Has a complete predicate (verb phrase)
with correct verb form(s)
- Expresses a complete thought
To fix a fragment:
- Rewrite to add a subject to the fragment
- Rewrite to add a complete verb phrase to
the fragment
- Join to the sentence before it
- Join to the sentence after it
- Join two fragments together to make a
complete sentence
Be careful of:
- Subordinating conjunctions:
after, although, as, as if, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when,
whenever, whereas, while
- Relative pronouns:
which, who, that, what, whom, whose, whoever, whichever, whatever
- Transition words:
for example, for instance, however, also, before, after, as long as, instead
- Semicolons:
sometimes we put a semicolon between two complete sentences, but be sure
that what is on each side of a semicolon IS a complete sentence