Sentence Fragments
Jared Aragona
Sentence Fragments: Sentence fragments can be corrected by adding a missing subject or verb. Fragments that begin with a preposition or a dependent word can be corrected by combining the fragment with another sentence.
Missing subject fragment: Walked around the lab. (Add a subject)
Fixed: The students walked around the lab.
Missing verb fragment: Time management as a part of student life. (Add a verb)
Fixed: Time management as a part of student life is challenging.
Better: A challenging part of student life is time management.
Prepositional phrase fragment: In a lab on the other side of town. (Add a subject and verb)
Fixed: Her backpack sat in a lab on the other side of town.
Better: She left her backpack in a lab on the other side of town.
Verbal phrase fragment: Figuring it was his only chance to succeed. (Connect to the sentence the phrase modifies)
Fixed: Figuring it was his only chance to succeed, he sent Dr. Gonzalez the email.
Better: He figured that sending Dr. Gonzalez the email was his only chance to succeed.
Dependent clause fragment: Since he really needed advice. (Connect to the sentence before or after)
Fixed: Since he really needed advice, he was glad Dr. Gonzalez was now his advisor.
Dependent clause fragment: Which really bothered Travis. (Connect to the sentence before)
Fixed: Alexis refused to clean his lab space thoroughly, which really bothered Travis.
Afterthought fragment: As if to send him a silent message. (Connect to the sentence be)
Fixed: She blinked twice at him, as if to send him a silent message.
Fragment with -ing verb: Five of their best students attending the conference. (Put the verb in a proper tense).
Fixed: Five of their best students attended the conference.
The MLCKRB (Master List Code Key and Rule Book): An English Grammar & Style Handbook by Jared Aragona, CC BY 4.0