FRAGMENTS
Fragments are groups of words that lack a subject or a verb and do not express complete
thoughts. A fragment is a dependent clause, which relies on a complete sentence (independent
clause) to make sense and be correct.
These are the two most common types of sentence fragments:
SUBJECT FRAGMENT: The dependent clause needs a subject to make the thought complete.
Example: We went to the movies. And had dinner.
Corrections: We went to the movies. We had dinner.
We went to the movies and had dinner.
We went to the movies, and we had dinner.
COMPLETE THOUGHT FRAGMENT: The clause needs more information to become a
complete sentence.
Example: When she went home.
Corrections: When she went home, I read a book. (*begins with dependent clause*)
I read a book when she went home.
She went home.
*HOW TO CHECK FOR SENTENCE FRAGMENTS:*
1. Read your paper aloud from the last sentence to the first. By doing this, you will be
better able to see and hear whether or not each word group is a complete thought.
2. Check each sentence for a subject and a verb.
3. Look for subordinating conjunctions that begin dependent clauses: after, although, as,
because, before, even though, if, since, when, whether, while, so, unless.