Sometimes writers create fragments, incomplete thoughts that get in the way of the intended message.
These errors are important to understand, so you can find and fix them in your own writing. The good news is that once they are found they are not difficult to fix. Generally the problem of fragments is solved by attaching it to the sentence that comes before or after.
Fragments happen in a number of ways but there are three common ways to detect them.
1. Use the “Ing” or “Ed” verb patterns:
(Add the verb is, are, was, were, has, have, or had)
To change these incomplete fragments, just add a helping verb from the list above, and the problem is fixed.
Fragment Example 1 – On a hot day the fan spinning hard to cool the air in the kitchen.
Corrected example 1 – On a hot day the fan was spinning hard to cool the air in the kitchen.
Fragment Example 2 – The driveway overheated by the sun.
Corrected example 2– The driveway is overheated by the sun.
Use a Subordinator to Begin a Clause:
Again, the problem can often be fixed by changing the punctuation. See the example below using the subordinator unless.
Unless the weekly weather pattern of storms changes. We will soon be buried in this winter’s accumulation of snow.
2. Change the period to a comma, connecting the phrase to the sentence before, and the problem is fixed.
Unless the weekly weather pattern or storms changes, we will soon be buried in this winter’s accumulation of snow.
3. Use Relative pronouns to start a Clause (Who, whom, which, whose, and where):
Today’s soup is vegetable with pasta. Which is our vegetarian offering.
A clause beginning with a relative pronoun cannot stand alone. Change the period to a comma, connecting the phrase to the sentence before and problem is fixed.
Today’s soup is vegetable with pasta, which is our vegetarian offering.
Created by Joanna S. Fortna, 2011
Revised by Joseph Dery, 2019
