Fragments Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form A John Langan Modified by Pamela Fox, Adjunct Professor, 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments A sentence fragment is a group of words that is punctuated as a sentence but is not grammatically correct. A sentence fragment may lack a subject, a verb, or an independent clause.
The wind velocity in hurricanes and monsoons. The winds raging in hurricanes and monsoons. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Locate the subject. Locate the verb. Inspires many poets and song writers. (This lacks a subject.) The pleasant weather of May. (This lacks a verb.)
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Verb phrase: To take advantage of sunlight in photography. Prepositional phrase: Within the eye of the hurricane.
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Noun phrase: Various theories for weather forecasting. Appositive phrase: One popular weather topic, el Nio. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments A clause that begins with a subordinator (or dependent word) is a dependent clause. These examples are not independent clauses. If a tornado sweeps across the plains. Because snow is beautiful in the moonlight. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Fragments Look for relative pronouns. Relative pronouns introduce clauses that modify nouns or pronouns (who, which, that). The instructor who argued against class cancellations for snow. Revised:The instructor who argued against class cancellations for snow was very unrealistic. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Fragments Although relative clause fragments have both a subject and a verb, they cannot stand alone. Bob who intends to buy a small tractor and a plow. Revised: Bob, who intends to buy a small tractor and a plow, thinks he will earn money removing snow this winter. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Fragments Combine the fragment with the sentence that precedes it or with the sentence that follows it. Dramatic weather conditions do not always cause disasters. But at times create beautiful situations as well. Correction: Dramatic weather conditions do not always cause disasters but at times create beautiful situations. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments
The jet stream can pull cold air down from Canada. Or bring warm air up from Mexico. The jet stream can pull cold air down from Canada or bring warm air up from Mexico. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Dependent clause fragments begin with a
subordinating conjunction (because, since, before). Although air traffic controllers regulate flight patterns. Corrected: Although air traffic controllers regulate traffic patterns, they cannot control the weather. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Be aware of situations that can lead to sentence fragments.
Examine a sentence that begins with a subordinating word. Because hail fell on the peach blossoms. Carefully select transitional words or phrases which introduce examples or a list. For example, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments
Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. (Click to see the answer.) Fragment Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E My Aunt Marie being a good cook. cook 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. Correct Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E She can spend hours reading a cook book. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. Fragment Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Although she says that she doesnt like to read.
2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. Fragment Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Special desserts such as pecan pies,
chocolate cheesecakes, and pumpkin cake roll. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. Correct Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E
Aunt Maries desserts are not for those who are watching their diet. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment. Correct
Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E Filled with cream and sugar, these delicacies contain hundreds of calories. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or if it is a sentence fragment.
Correct Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E It often seems that any food item that tastes good is fattening. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Fragments Decide whether each sentence group is a correct sentence or
if it is a sentence fragment. Fragment Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E For example, ice cream and chocolate cake. 2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
