Eliminating Fragments
What is a fragment?What causes fragments?A fragment is a group of words that look like a sentence (that is, they start with a capital letter and end with a period or a semicolon) but that don't really do the job of a sentence.
To be a complete sentence, a group of words must have at least
one subject
one verb, and
express a completed idea.
How can I check for fragments?Fragments often occur because
- the writer uses a semicolon or a period--which stops a sentence completely-- rather than using a comma, [←like this one ] which tells the reader to pause but then continue the thought.
Example:
I always try to edit my writing carefully, looking for typical problems. Such as sentence fragments and there/their kinds of errors
The highlighted words above are just a fragment, not a complete sentence. They lack a subject and verb and so don't make sense by themselves.
Here's one way to check words that you think might be a fragment. Put the words "It's obvious that" in front of them and see if the sentence makes sense.How do I fix fragments?"It's obvious that such as sentence fragments and there/their kinds of errors."Doesn't make a clear statement, does it? That's a sure sign those words were a fragment, not a complete sentence.
The easiest way to correct fragments is to replace the punctuation that caused the fragment (period or semicolon) with a comma:
I always try to edit my writing carefully, looking for typical problems, such as sentence fragments and there/their kinds of errors.
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