2. WHAT IS A SENTENCE FRAGMENT?
A
fragment is a group of words that looks
like a sentence complete thought;
therefore, it is an incomplete sentence but
is missing a subject, a verb, or a complete
idea.
Sohail Ahmed
sentence fragment is a phrase or clause
that is punctuated as a sentence but is not
a grammatical sentence because it does
not express a complete thought.
A
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3. FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS.
OF
1.
Sohail Ahmed
In the car.
2. With a brand-new hat.
3. Running in the woods.
4. Singing a song.
5. At the party.
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4. SOLUTIONS TO SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Notice that none of the five examples above
contains a specific action (or predicate)
A person (or subject) to perform the action.
To transform all five sentence fragments into
full-fledged sentences, then, all we need to
do is to add a subject and a predicate.
Lets’ use the subject “I,” and the predicate “saw
him.”
Sohail Ahmed
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5. USE THE SUBJECT
“I,” AND THE PREDICATE
“SAW HIM.”
1.
Sohail Ahmed
I saw him in the car.
2. I saw him with a brand-new hat.
3. I saw him running in the woods.
4. I saw him singing a song.
5. I saw him at the party.
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6. OTHER SOLUTIONS
In the car I saw him.
2. With a brand new hat I saw him.
3. Running in the woods I saw him.
4. Singing a song I saw him.
5. At the party I saw him.
Sohail Ahmed
Likewise, sentence fragments can be
transformed into a full-fledged sentence by
placing a subject and predicate on the other
side of the fragment, as in the following
examples:
1.
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7. LETS INSPECT ELEMENTS OF SENTENCE
Verb:
Sohail Ahmed
A sentence consists of 3 components
Subject:
the person, place, or
thing performing or
doing the action
the action
Complete idea: the reader isn't left
waiting for another word
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8. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SENTENCE
Verb:
read
Complete Idea:
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Subject:
I read a book.
I
a book
The book is a direct object. Not all sentences
require a direct object.
Thus we can call it a complete Sentence
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9. TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER SENTENCE
Birds Fly.
birds
Verb:
fly
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Subject:
Is it a complete idea? Yes.
There is no direct object here; however, it is
still a complete idea and a good sentence.
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10. AN OTHER EXAMPLE
I take.
I
Verb:
Take
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Subject:
Is it a complete idea? NO.
This sentence requires a direct object. This
sentence is called a Sentence
Fragment.
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11. TRANSITIVE OR INTRANSITIVE VERB
If the verb does not need a direct object, it is
called an intransitive verb.
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If the sentence requires a direct object, it is called
a transitive verb.
It is actually the verb which determines
whether the sentence requires a direct object
or not.
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12. SO! WHAT'S A SENTENCE FRAGMENT?
A
Sohail Ahmed
sentence fragment is a sentence that
lacks a subject or lacks a verb or is not a
complete idea (one reason could be
because it does not have a direct object if
the verb needs one).
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13. HOW TO FIX SENTENCE FRAGMENTS?
There are three Methods to fix sentence fragments
Sohail Ahmed
Method #1
Attach the sentence fragment to another
sentence. That other sentence could be before or
after the sentence fragment.
After getting money. {Sentence Fragment}
I bought a new dress after getting money.
{A Complete Sentence}
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14. HOW TO FIX SENTENCE FRAGMENTS?
“The person I hate most in life” {Sentence Fragment}
Sohail Ahmed
Method #2
Add a subject, verb, or both to make the sentence
complete.
“Sonia is the person I hate most in life.”
{Complete Sentence}
“I saw the person I hate most in life.”
{Complete Sentence}
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15. HOW TO FIX SENTENCE FRAGMENTS?
While Sahil was in Paris. {Sentence fragment}
Sahil was in Paris.
Sohail Ahmed
Method #3
Take away/Erase the word or phrase that makes it
a sentence fragment.
{Complete Sentence}
Because people do not believe in birth control.
{Sentence fragment}
People do not believe in birth control.
{Complete Sentence}
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16. RULES TO REMEMBER
Sentence fragments can make your writing very
confusing.
Avoid sentence fragments in professional writing,
formal writing, essays, business letters, and
compositions.
Sentence fragments are written and acceptable in
the following types of writing:
Poetry
Quotes
Quoted speech
Plays
Sohail Ahmed
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