Avoiding Fragments

For a sentence to be complete, it needs two things: a subject – predicate unit and a complete thought.

Sentence fragments usually happen when the writer is writing down multiple ideas down, but doesn’t fully develop them.

Example #1:

Because of the storm.
- Why is it incorrect?
  - There is no subject or predicate, the reader won’t understand what you are talking about in this sentence. To correct this issue the thought must be complete in order to make sense and have a good flow to it.
- Correction: My flight was delayed because of the storm.

Example #2:

Which it helped throughout the season.
- Why is it incorrect?
  - It starts with a relative pronoun, but the reader doesn’t know who that pronoun is referring to. To correct this issue the thought must be complete.
- Correction: The extra lessons that Manny played through the summer were very structured which helped throughout the season.

Example #3:

Ran back inside the store
- Why is it incorrect?
  - The thought in this sentence is not complete, it confuses the reader, and when placed into a paragraph, it will disrupt the flow. In addition, the sentence is also missing a subject or predicate for it to be complete.
- Correction: Tessa ran back inside the store because she forgot her umbrella.

Practice Quiz #1
Practice Quiz #2
Practice Quiz #3