Grammar: Sentence Fragments

Most sentence fragments are phrases, or subordinate clauses, or combinations of the two. Don't ever let length be your guide, for a sentence can be two words (He jumps) and a fragment fifty.

Recognizing fragments

At first glance, a sentence fragment may look like a sentence because it begins with a capital letter and ends with a period. When you look more closely, however, you'll see that the group of words is missing one or more of the three elements required to make it a sentence: a subject, a predicate, and a grammatically complete thought.

Unless you want more coverage than the newspaper story. (fragment)

This is a subordinate clause. It is missing an independent clause that would complete the thought.

Unless you want more coverage than the newspaper story, we have made all the arrangements. (sentence)

When you write sentences beginning with subordinating conjunctions, make sure that you have an independent clause following the subordinate clause.

We saw the boys standing there. Laughing and throwing cans all over the front lawn. (fragment)

A sentence here is followed by a fragment, a participial phrase that cannot stand alone. The problem could be solved if the period after there were changed to a comma.

He pointed at Mrs. Wolfe. The woman who wore the hardhat and the toot belt. (fragment)

The pronoun who makes this a relative clause that can't stand alone. It acts as an appositive identifying Mrs. Wolfe, and it should be joined to the main clause with a comma.

The chairman of the committee, whose term was dependent on his party's being in power, which was, according to most of the polls, unlikely to be the case after the next general election. (fragment)

This is a more complicated fragment, consisting of a subject and two subordinate clauses, each containing phrases. You don't need to identify all the elements in this fragment, but realize that a predicate for the subject of the sentence (chairman) is missing. To make a complete sentence, add a predicate, for example, insisted on bringing the motion to a vote.

The last example is typical of the sophisticated fragments that might escape your notice. Keep your eye on the three key requirements: subject, predicate, complete thought. It's particularly important to check a complicated sentence you've written just to make sure it isn't a complicated fragment instead.

Acceptable fragments

Some sentence fragments are acceptable, although a teacher may prefer that you avoid all of them while learning to write. Intentional fragments can be found throughout good writing.

In dialogue, to use an obvious example, fragments are appropriately conversational.

“Where are you going?” I asked.
“Out for a walk.” She glowered at me.

Experienced writers also use fragments occasionally to create a particular effect, make a point emphatically, or answer a question they've asked:

Many of the people who drove by refused to stop and help. But not all of them.
Scorcese had offered me a bit part in the movie. The chance of a lifetime! And she wanted me to turn it down.
Why should you consider a two-year rather than a four-year college? For many reasons.

Before you consider using an intentional fragment, be sure you understand correct sentence structure, as an unintentional fragment is a glaring error. Also, be sure using a fragment is warranted: Could you achieve the effect you're after without it? In the second example above, a dash after movie would achieve the same effect that the fragment does.