Sentences and Fragments
Alot of the time I write short sentences, thinking that I can state an idea faster. These sentences may not be complete sentences, only fragments. So what's the difference? Fragments do not contain a main clause. There are three essential parts to a sentence: subject, verb, and complete thought. They are pieces of a puzzle. Examples of fragments are:
And yawned loudly enough to make everyone in class turn around.
Subject = Ø ; verb = yawned; complete thought = Ø.
The boy sitting on the fire escape dropping water balloons on the pedestrians below.
Subject = boy; verb = Ø; complete thought = Ø.
After Gabriel ate half a box of Devil Dogs.
Subject = Gabriel; verb = ate; complete thought = Ø.
A way to fix fragments is to add more information or connect with another sentence. Knowing what kind of fragment you are dealing with will help as well. Subordinate clause, participle phrase, infinitive phrase, afterthought, lonely verb phrase, or appositive are all types of sentence fragments. Subordinate clauses can start with words like: because, since, unless, provided that, if, before, as, who, where, when, and many more.
Participle phrases start with a word ending in ing or ed. Infinitive phrases begin with to followed by a base verb: to watch, to catch. Words like especially, except, excluding, for example, for instance, including and like usually begin an afterthought. Lonely verbs are usually missing the subject and begin sentences with and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so. An appositive starts with a noun and has many clarifying phrase or subordinate clauses following. A slacker wastes his afternoon in front of the television is an example of an appositive.
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