Sentence Fragments

Review in your text on pages 659-60

Use sentence fragments only for special emphasis.

A fragment is an incomplete sentence.A fragment may lack a subject or verbOr it may be only a dependent clause.

Test for sentence fragments

By taking the group of words out of context.If the group of words cannot stand by itself as a complete thought, it is a fragment.

Revise sentence fragments

By adding a subjectOr verbOr by combining the fragment with the previous sentence.

Fragment:

I still remember the championship basketball game when I scored forty points. Breaking the existing conference record.

“Breaking the existing conference record” is not a complete sentence – it cannot stand by itself as a complete thought.

Revision:

I still remember the championship basketball game when I scored forty points. Breaking the existing conference record.

Becomes:I still remember the championship

basketball game when I broke the existing conference record by scoring forty points.

Or:

I still remember the championship basketball game when I scored forty points. Breaking the existing conference record.

Becomes:I still remember the championship

basketball game when I scored forty points, breaking the existing conference record.

Fragment:

At home I enjoy many water sports. Waterskiing and sailing, which are my two favorites.

“Waterskiing and sailing, which are my two favorites” cannot stand by itself as a complete thought. Revise to make one complete sentence.

Revision:

At home I enjoy many water sports. Waterskiing and sailing, which are my two favorites.

Becomes:At home I enjoy many water sports,

but waterskiing and sailing are my favorites.

Revision:

At home I enjoy many water sports. Waterskiing and sailing, which are my two favorites.

Becomes:At home I enjoy my two favorite

water sports: waterskiing and sailing.

Fragment:

She stood in line for four hours in the freezing rain. To get tickets for the rock concert.

“To get tickets for the rock concert” is not a complete thought. Combine with the previous sentence.

Revision:

She stood in line for four hours in the freezing rain. To get tickets for the rock concert.

Becomes:She stood in line for four hours in the

freezing rain to get tickets for the rock concert.

Revision:

She stood in line for four hours in the freezing rain. To get tickets for the rock concert.

Becomes:To get tickets for the rock concert,

she stood in line for four hours in the freezing rain.

Fragment:

After a tough class, I took a long shower, dried my hair, and put on my underwear. Then I walked into the living room. Because I thought no one was home. Was I surprised to discover my mother talking to Reverend Jones!

“Because I thought no one was home” cannot stand by itself as a complete thought. It is a dependent clause or a fragment.

Revision:

After a tough class, I took a long shower, dried my hair, and put on my underwear. Because I thought no one was home, I walked into the living room. Was I surprised to discover my mother talking to Reverend Jones!

For special emphasis, however

Sentence fragments can be used sparingly.

When the river was dammed almost all of these things were lost. Crowded out—or drowned and buried under mud. --Edward Abbey

Head off? Decapitation cases are rather routinely handled. --Jessica Mitford

When I finally did fall asleep, I had that same hideous nightmare in which a woodchuck is trying to claim my prize at a raffle. Despair. --Woody Allen.