Recognizing and Editing for Fragments

Armed with knowledge about phrases and clauses, you are ready to edit for sentence structure. Let’s start by looking at fragments, errors that result in lower grades and cause teachers and bosses to pull out their hair.

Sentence structure problem #1: Fragments

So what exactly is a fragment? The word itself tells you that it’s a piece of something; in this case, it is a piece of a sentence. A fragment is an incomplete sentence because (1) it lacks a subject, or (2) it lacks a verb or part of a verb, or (3) it is a subordinate clause. A fragment is a phrase or a subordinate clause pretending to be a sentence.

Now that you’re sure what sentence fragments are, let’s consider how to fix them. The simplest fixes involve zeroing in on what is missing.

If a fragment is missing a subject, add a subject.

• Fragment: Figured out that she was going to be in trouble
• Corrected sentence: Theresa figured out that she was going to be in trouble.

If a fragment is missing a verb or part of the verb phrase, add it.

• Fragment: Children playing in the park
• Corrected sentence: Children were playing in the park.

If a fragment is a subordinate clause, attach it to a nearby independent clause. That independent clause could be the sentence before or after the subordinate clause—or you could add a new independent clause to make the sentence complete.

• Fragment: Although she doesn’t want to admit it
• Corrected sentence: Mom likes rock music, although she doesn’t want to admit it. (Alternative: Although she doesn’t want to admit it, Mom likes rock music.)

If a fragment is a prepositional phrase, add whatever it needs to make it a complete sentence.

• Fragment: On the bedroom floor
• Corrected sentence: Jerry’s clothes were on the bedroom floor.
  (Alternative: On the bedroom floor was the biggest cockroach I had ever seen.)

To check your understanding of fragments, do the brief interactive exercise.