Last month, I wrote about what sentence fragments are. In brief, a sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is an incomplete sentence that typically lacks either a subject, a verb, or both, or fails to convey a full idea. This month, I would like to talk about how to fix sentence fragments.
To fix sentence fragments, you can follow several strategies depending on the type of fragment. Here are some common ways to correct them:
1. Add a Subject or Verb
If the fragment is missing a subject or a verb, you can add what’s missing to make it a complete sentence.
- Fragment: "Running through the park."
- Correction: "She was running through the park."
2. Combine the Fragment with a Complete Sentence
You can combine the fragment with a nearby sentence to create a full thought.
- Fragment: "Because she was tired."
- Complete sentence: "She went home because she was tired."
3. Remove Subordinating Conjunctions
If the fragment starts with a subordinating conjunction (like "because," "although," "if," etc.), it may need to be made into a full sentence by adding an independent clause.
- Fragment: "Because it was raining."
- Correction: "It was raining, so we stayed inside."
4. Use Punctuation Appropriately
Sometimes, a fragment occurs due to incorrect punctuation, like when a dependent clause is mistakenly punctuated as a standalone sentence. Fix this by joining the fragment with a related sentence or properly punctuating.
- Fragment: "While we waited for the bus."
- Correction: "While we waited for the bus, we chatted."
5. Change the Sentence Structure
If the fragment is an incomplete thought, you may need to restructure the sentence to clarify its meaning and make it a complete sentence.
- Fragment: "To the store for groceries."
- Correction: "I went to the store for groceries."
In general, the key to fixing sentence fragments is to ensure that each sentence expresses a complete thought, with a subject and a verb, and is punctuated properly.
