Fragments: Recognizing incomplete sentences

Fragments

Recognizing complete versus incomplete sentences

We are going to take a siz-week trip t oEurope because we want to see its beautiful cities.

A sentence consists of smaller parts:

GRAMMAR TERM	TYPE	DESCRIPTION	EXAMPLE
A phrase	fragment	A phrase is a group of words that together have a particular meaning, but do not express a complete thought or do not meet the requirements of being a grammatical sentence.Phrases are the smaller parts that make a clause.	a six-week trip (noun phrase), to Europe (prepositional phrase), its beautiful cities (possessive phrase), are going to (verb phrase), want to see (infinitive phrase)
A clause	(see below)	A clause includes at least a subject and a verb. There are two kinds of clauses: dependent and independent. Clauses are the smaller parts that make a sentence.	We are going to take a six-week trip to Europe \| because we want to see its beautiful cities.
An independent clause	sentence	An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a grammatical sentence. It has at minimum a subject and verb.	We are going to take a six-week trip to Europe.
A dependent clause	fragment	A dependent clause has a subject and verb, but does not express a complete thought and may sound like nonsense as a stand-alone sentence. A dependent clause often begins with an adverb or a connector (before, after, because, while, though, and, but, so, etc.) and requires attachment to an independent clause to complete the rest of the thought.	because we want to see its beautiful cities.
A sentence	sentence	A sentence consists of an independent clause and optionally one or more dependent clauses. It expresses a complete thought.	We are going to take a six-week trip to Europe because we want to see its beautiful cities. Because we want to see its beautiful cities, we are going to take a six-week trip to Europe.

luggage

A Phrase vs. a Clause

A PHRASE	A CLAUSE
A phrase is a small group of words that together have a particular meaning, but do not express a complete thought or do not meet the requirements of being a grammatical sentence.	A clause includes at least a subject and a verb. There are two kinds of clauses: dependent and independent. The examples below are independent clauses and they are sentences.
In fact, nearly eighty-six million annually. (fragment)	Each year, millions of people travel to the U.S.
All those amazing things to see! (fragment)	You are taking a trip to Europe this year.
How about your visa? (fragment)	We are going to apply for visas.
Having shoes, which are comfortable. (fragment)	It is important to have a good pair of walking shoes.
And so do I. (fragment)	Everyone enjoys a trip.
Over there. (fragment)	Where is the ticket office?

See Complete Thought | A Sentence

An Independent vs. a Dependent Clause

AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE	A DEPENDENT CLAUSE
An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a grammatical sentence. It has its own subject and verb.	A dependent clause has a subject and verb, but does not express a complete thought and may sound like nonsense as a stand-alone sentence. A dependent clause often begins with an adverb or a connector (before, after, because, while, though, and, but, so, etc.) and requires attachment to an independent clause to complete the rest of the thought.
Istanbul is an amazing city to visit.	and we are going there! (and – coordinating conjunction)
We are going to apply for visas.	before we leave on our trip. (before – subordinating conjunction)
We are going to take raincoats.	though we don't know if we will need them. (though – subordinating conjunction)
We exchanged our money for Euros.	which is the common currency in much of Europe. (which – relative pronoun)
We take electrical outlet adapters with us.	whenever we travel overseas. (whenever – subordinating conjunction)
It is important to have a good pair of walking shoes.	as long as there is room in the suitcase. (as long as – subordinating conjunction)
We carry an umbrella.	if rain is expected. (if – subordinating conjunction)
We pack lots of sunscreen.	because we don't want to get burned. (because – subordinating conjunction)

A Sentence

A written sentence needs a subject and a verb to be grammatical. (A sentence may be composed of one or more clauses.)
A spoken sentence needs a complete thought and may rely more heavily on contextual information. See Complete Thought

NOT A SENTENCE	A SENTENCE
We had a wonderful time there. In fact, great! (fragment– no subject or verb) Pop-Q – "In fact"	We had a wonderful time there; in fact, it was great! (Add a subject, verb and punctuation.) We had a wonderful time there. In fact, it was great! We had a wonderful, in fact, great time there.
He crashed his car. Because he was texting and not paying attention. (fragment – the adverb because marks the clause as a dependent clause. A dependent clause needs to be attached to an independent clause to be a sentence.)	He crashed his car because he was texting and not paying attention. Because he was texting and not paying attention, he crashed his car . (Join the dependent clause to the independent clause. Use a commas to separate the clauses only if the sentence begins with the adverb clause.)
Put the book there. On my desk. (fragment– no subject or verb)	Put the book there, on my desk. (Add the prepositional phrase with a comma as it restates there.)
The thing that amazed me. (fragment– main clause has no verb)	The thing that amazed me was the architecture. (The main, independent clause, needs to have a complete thought, a subject and a verb..)
The city had fewer than a million people before became a world trading center.	The city had fewer than a million people before it became a world trading center. (Add a subject to the dependent clause.)
Keep bedrooms free of clutter where bedbugs can hide and seal wall cracks and crevices. (unclear subject in second clause – crafty little bugs ? ) Keep bedrooms free of clutter where bedbugs can hide, and seal wall cracks and crevices. (Better, but the subject of this clause is ambiguous)	Keep bedrooms free of clutter where bedbugs can hide. Seal wall cracks and crevices. (The best solution is to separate the clause into its own sentence.)

Exceptions to Sentence Rule

UNDERSTOOD THOUGHT	EXPANDED THOUGHT
Wonderful! Oh! Ahh! Wow! Oh no! Hah! An exclamation is treated as a sentence with end punctuation even though it does not stand alone as a complete idea.	(It is) wonderful! It must be understood from the context of the situation. Understood: "It is" (thing that both listener and speaker know) Optionally include the subject and verb.
Leave! Stop! Go! Halt! An imperative sentence is treated as a sentence with end punctuation. It has no subject, but it is complete and is understood through the context of the situation.	(You) leave! Understood: "you" Optionally include the subject.
The more taxes, the more complaining. The more the merrier. Expressions are not punctuated like most sentences.	The more taxes (we have) , the more complaining (we do). The more (people we are), the merrier (the time we will have.) Understood: the verbs Optionally include the verbs.
Yes. No. Affirmative and negative answers, such as yes and no may stand alone and be followed by a period.	Yes, that is correct. Understood: the question Optionally restate the question in the response.

UNDERSTOOD THOUGHT

EXPANDED THOUGHT

Wonderful! Oh! Ahh! Wow! Oh no! Hah!

An exclamation is treated as a sentence with end punctuation even though it does not stand alone as a complete idea.

(It is) wonderful! It must be understood from the context of the situation.

Understood: "It is" (thing that both listener and speaker know)
Optionally include the subject and verb.

Leave! Stop! Go! Halt!

An imperative sentence is treated as a sentence with end punctuation. It has no subject, but it is complete and is understood through the context of the situation.

(You) leave!

Understood: "you"
Optionally include the subject.

The more taxes, the more complaining. The more the merrier.

Expressions are not punctuated like most sentences.

The more taxes (we have) , the more complaining (we do).
The more (people we are), the merrier (the time we will have.)

Understood: the verbs
Optionally include the verbs.

Yes. No.

Affirmative and negative answers, such as yes and no may stand alone and be followed by a period.

Yes, that is correct.

Understood: the question
Optionally restate the question in the response.

Practice 1

Identifying a Dependent Clause

Determine whether each clause is an independent clause or a dependent clause.

Select your response from the list menu.
Compare your responses by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	CLAUSE	FEEDBACK
1.	Whenever we go.
2.	We can go whenever.
3.	For example, a map, hiking shoes and water.
4.	For example, we have a map, hiking shoes and water.	conjunctive adverbs
5.	Which is really quite remarkable!
6.	Which is mine?
7.	What he said.
8.	Definitely, if you have time.
9.	Down that street and to the left.
10.	Because I like it.

Practice 2

Edit the Sentences

Punctuate the following so that each sentence is complete.
Compare your responses by clicking the "check" button to the right.

#	YOUR RESPONSE	FEEDBACK
1.	Istanbul is an amazing city. Because of its rich history and breathtaking location. EDIT: Istanbul is an amazing city. Because of its rich history and breathtaking location.	See Because phrases
2.	The city of Istanbul has twenty-seven districts. Which are very different in character. EDIT: The city of Istanbul has twenty-seven districts. Which are very different in character	See Which clauses
3.	Because Istanbul is located on a Peninsula. It is surrounded by water. EDIT: Because Istanbul is located on a Peninsula. It is surrounded by water	See Because clauses
4.	You will see fishing boats and seafood markets. If you visit the port. EDIT: You will see fishing boats and seafood markets. If you visit the port.	See Conditional clauses
5.	The city was ideally situated. The crossroads to the great trade centers of Europe. EDIT: The city was ideally situated. The crossroads to the great trade centers of Europe	See Prepositions for Place
6.	Throughout its long history. It has been a cultural melting pot. melting pot – mixing of cultures EDIT: Throughout its long history. It has been a cultural melting pot.	See Adverbial clauses
7.	The mild climate makes it an ideal place. Though occasionally it gets cold in the winter. EDIT: The mild climate makes it an ideal place. Though occasionally it gets cold in the winter.	See Though clauses
8.	Construction of the Walls of Constantinople began under Constantine the Great. But had to be enlarged as the city grew. EDIT: Construction of the Walls of Constantinople began under Constantine the Great. But had to be enlarged as the city grew.	See FANBOYS
9.	Greek, Roman and Byzantine structures. All stand in harmony in the city of Istanbul. EDIT: Greek, Roman and Byzantine structures. All stand in harmony in the city of Istanbul.	See Colons
10.	The city has had huge growth recently. For example, 13 million people. EDIT: The city has had huge growth recently. For example, 13 million people.	See Example Words
11.	The Hagia Sophia is very famous. As it was once the world's largest cathedral. EDIT: The Hagia Sophia is very famous. As it was once the world's largest cathedral.	See As clause
12.	Istanbul has two international airports. Atatürk International Airport on the European side. Sabiha Gökçen International Airport on the Asian side. EDIT: Istanbul has two international airports. Atatürk International Airport on the European side. Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, on the Asian side.	See Word Lists

Grammar-Quizzes.com

PRACTICE ON POINTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Punctuation