Technical Writing

Correcting Sentence Fragments

Instructor: Dr Aseel Zibin

 The purpose of writing is to communicate facts, ideas, and feelings in a clear and effective
manner. If we make serious mistakes in sentence structure or grammar, our readers are
confused and irritated, and communication fails.
 This handout deals with ways to remedy three serious kinds of errors a writer can make:
sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and comma-splices. Fortunately, these errors are easy
to spot and easy to fix.

Sentence Fragments
 A sentence is a group of words containing at least one independent clause. It has a subject
and a verb, and it conveys a certain sense of completeness.
 A sentence fragment, in contrast, is a group of words lacking an independent clause.
 Although it looks like a sentence because it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period
or other end punctuation, it leaves the reader “hanging,” waiting for more to follow.
 Sentence fragments are common in conversation, particularly in responses to what someone
else has said or as additions to something we have just said. Their meanings and missing parts
are usually clear because of the context of the conversation and the speaker’s gestures. In
writing, however, it is best to avoid sentence fragments.
 Although professional writers occasionally use them for special effect, fragments
usually suggest that the writer is careless and unable to formulate a complete thought.
 One of the best ways to avoid sentence fragments is to read your written work aloud. Your
voice will often detect an incomplete sentence. Another tip: Don’t be fooled by the length of a
so-called sentence. A long string of words without an independent clause is still a sentence
fragment, despite its length. Here is an example of such a fragment.

■ The election of Nelson Mandela, an end to news censorship, abolition of executions, and
power sharing with former white leaders, among other dramatic changes for South Africa.

 At first glance this “sentence” is complete—after all, it begins with a capitalized word and
concludes with a period. Despite its length, however, it is a sentence fragment because it does
not contain an independent clause and therefore cannot convey a complete thought.

 The following list contains the most common types of fragments that people write:
1. Prepositional phrase fragments
2. Infinitive phrase fragments
3. Participle phrase fragments
4. Noun phrase fragments
5. Dependent clause fragments

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  By understanding each type of fragment, you can eliminate them from your writing. Now we
will look at the various types of sentence fragments and the ways to correct them.

Phrases as Fragments
 One of the most common kinds of sentence fragments is the phrase. (A phrase, you recall, is a
group of words lacking a subject and a verb and acting as a single part of speech within a
sentence.) Prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, and participle phrases are often confused
with complete sentences.

 Prepositional Phrases as Fragments A prepositional phrase never contains a subject and a

verb. Therefore, it can never stand alone as a sentence. The following sentences are followed
by prepositional phrases masquerading as sentences.

■ Fragment: Some of the world’s fastest boats raced for the cherished America’s Cup. Off the
coast of southern California.
■ Fragment: Brett Favre threw a record 442 touchdown passes. During his career with the
Green Bay Packers.
■ Fragment: After delaying it several weeks, Jeff finally began his term paper. On the subject
of religious cults in America.

 Because prepositional phrases are parts of sentences, the best way to correct this kind of
fragment is to join it with the sentence to which it belongs. Notice how the fragments above
are eliminated when they are joined to the preceding sentences.
■ Sentence: Some of the world’s fastest boats raced for the cherished America’s Cup off the
coast of southern California.
■ Sentence: Brett Favre threw a record 442 touchdown passes during his career with the
Green Bay Packers.
■ Sentence: After delaying it for several weeks, Jeff finally began his term paper on the
subject of religious cults in America.

 Infinitive Phrases as Fragments: An infinitive is the “to” form of the verb: to help, to see, to
start, and so on. Many fragments are the result of the writer trying to use an infinitive as the
verb in a sentence.

■ Fragment: To save money for a new car. Hyo-Min works an extra shift every week.
■ Fragment: After final exams, we’re going camping at Yosemite. To relax, catch some fish,
and breathe fresh air.
■ Fragment: Scientists have repeatedly warned us. To stop polluting our water before it is
unsafe for human use.

 Most fragments consisting of infinitives can be corrected by combining them with the
sentence to which they belong.

■ Sentence: To save money for a new car, Hyo-Min works an extra shift every week.
■ Sentence: After final exams, we’re going camping at Yosemite to relax, catch some fish,
and breathe fresh air.
■ Sentence: Scientists have repeatedly warned us to stop polluting our water before it is
unsafe for human use.

 Participle Phrases as Fragments: The present participle is the “-ing” form of the verb: helping,
seeing, starting, and walking. Present participles can never serve as verbs in a sentence unless
they have helping verbs with them (words like can, could, may, might, will, does, am, is, are,
and were). Like the infinitive, the present participle is often confused with the main verb in a
sentence, and the result is a fragment.

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 ■ Fragment: Growing up in a large, poor family in the Appalachian Mountains. He feared that
a college education would be an impossibility.
■ Fragment: Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is a popular tourist attraction in
London. Featuring likenesses of celebrities and historical figures reproduced in lifelike poses.
■ Fragment: Exercising every day, cutting down on calories, and avoiding ice cream and
other desserts. I was able to lose twenty pounds last summer.

 Fragments like these can be corrected by attaching them to the independent clauses preceding
or following them.
■ Sentence: Growing up in a large, poor family in the Appalachian Mountains, he feared that
a college education would be an impossibility.
■ Sentence: Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is a popular tourist attraction in
London, featuring likenesses of celebrities and historical figures reproduced in lifelike poses.
■ Sentence: Exercising every day, cutting down on calories, and avoiding ice cream and other
desserts, I was able to lose twenty pounds last summer.

 Another way to correct fragments like these is to supply them with their missing subjects or
verbs (or both).

■ Sentence: He grew up in a large, poor family in the Appalachian Mountains, and he feared that a
college education would be an impossibility. (Supplying the missing subject and verb and combining
the fragment with another sentence fixes the fragment.)
■ Sentence: Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is a popular tourist attraction in
London. It features likenesses of celebrities and historical figures reproduced in lifelike poses.
(Supplying the missing subject and verb and creating two separate sentences fixes the fragment.)
■ Sentence: Because I exercised every day, cut down on calories, and avoided ice cream and other
desserts, I was able to lose twenty pounds last summer. (Changing the fragment into a dependent
clause and adding it to another sentence, changing the sentence into a complex sentence, fixes the
fragment.)

Noun Phrases as Fragments: Another type of fragment is a noun followed by a modifier with no main
verb.
■ Fragment: The planet Venus, known to have a rough surface scarred by volcanoes and quakes.
■ Fragment: A newly invented crib, comforting babies by imitating movements of the womb.
■ Fragment: The annual Candace Awards, given for leadership and achievement by the National
Coalition of 100 Black Women.

 Most noun fragments can be corrected by supplying the missing verbs.

■ Sentence: The planet Venus is known to have a rough surface scarred by volcanoes and quakes.
■ Sentence: A newly invented crib comforts babies by imitating movements of the womb.
■ Sentence: The annual Candace Awards are given for leadership and achievement by the National
Coalition of 100 Black Women.

Dependent Clauses as Fragments

 Dependent clauses cannot stand alone. But because they contain subjects and verbs, they
often end up as fragments. Dependent clauses can be spotted by the kinds of words that
introduce them: subordinating conjunctions like after, although, as, because, and if or relative
pronouns like who, which, and that
 A dependent clause set off as a complete sentence can be corrected by combining it with the
independent clause preceding or following it. Another method is to delete the subordinating
conjunction or relative pronoun, thereby converting the dependent clause to an independent
clause.

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■ Fragment: The world’s oldest living trees are the bristlecone pines. Which grow in
California.
■ Revised: The world’s oldest living trees are the bristlecone pines, which grow in
California.

Exercise 1: Some of the following word groups contain sentence fragments. Underline the
fragment, writing kind of fragment it is. Then correct the fragment by one of the methods
previously explained. If the group does not contain a fragment, write “C.”

1. The Popemobile, known worldwide as the pope’s vehicle for use in public
appearances.
2. Pope John Paul II first appeared in a specially designed truck. To greet onlookers
during his first trip home to Poland.
3. Depending on how fast the pope will travel and how much securityhe’ll need. He will
use of several different models.
4. Some models allow him to sit or stand in open air, while others enclose him. In bullet
proof glass.
5. On visits to the United States, the pope usually rides in an armored Mercedes-Benz
sport utility vehicle.
6. Entering through a rear door and climbing several steps, then sitting in a chair that is
raised hydraulically.
7. A driver and security agent ride up front, while two of the pope’s assistants ride in
back. Near the pope.
8. A Land Rover in England, a GMC Sierra in Canada, and a Francisco in the
Philippines, stored in those lands for the pope’s future visits.
9. Some bystanders get close enough. To see the pope’s license plate.
10. It reads “SCV 1.” Which represents the Italian phrase for “Vatican City State.”