A sentence fragment is only part of a sentence that is set off
as if it were a complete sentence by an initial capital letter and
a final period or other end punctuation.  However, unlike a
complete sentence, a sentence fragment lacks a subject, verb,
and/or complete verb, or it is a dependent clause not attached to
an independent clause.



I.   Missing Subject Fragment
          
     A sentence without a subject-- 

             Example:    Closed the door.
          What to do:    Add a subject
          Correction:    The girl closed the door.



*Note: If you are expressing a command, you do not need a subject. This is called
an imperative sentence.
     
             Example:    Don't leave the room!
                         (You is the silent subject.)
     



II.  Missing Verb or Incomplete Verb Fragment
     Missing Verb: A sentence without a finite verb--

             Example:    The assembly person in our district.
          What to do:    Find a finite verb
          Correction:    The assembly person in our district
                         works diligently.

Note: A finite verb is capable of making an assertion without the aid of a
helping verb; in addition, it changes form to show the difference in present,
past, and future time.  Verbals such as working and to work do not change and are
not finite verbs.


     Incomplete Verb: An -ing verb (present participle) in the
                   place of a finite verb without a helping 
                   verb

     Helping Verbs:   To be: am, is, are, were, was
     
             Example:    The statue standing by the doorway.
          What to do:    Add a helping verb
          Correction:    The statue is standing by the doorway.


          or         


     Incomplete Verb: A  past participle (-d/-ed/-t/n) used in a
                   passive verb form without a helping verb.     
                 
             Example:    The statue located by the door.
          What to do:    Add a helping verb
          Correction:    The statue is located by the door.
          


Note: Since the statue cannot locate itself, the verb form must be passive,
indicating someone other than the subject of the sentence (the statue) placed it
by the door.  Passive voice is formed by using the helping verb--to be--plus the
participle.  Some verbs are irregular and take the-t-or-n-form.


             Example:    She caught by the authorities.
          What to do:    Add a helping verb
          Correction:    She was caught by the authorities.
 
 

*For more information on passive verb form see Active and Passive
Verb form handout.                      
                                                       





III. Dependent Clause Fragment

     A main or independent clause can stand alone as a sentence:
She believed that she would pass the test.  A dependent or
subordinate clause is like a main clause in that it must have a
subject and a verb, but it cannot stand alone as a sentence because
it begins with a subordinating word such as if, when, because,
since, who, that, after, or before.  Subordinating words express
particular relationships between the clauses they introduce and the
main clauses to which they are attached.


             Example:    After Maria bought the biology book.    
          What to do:    Add an independent clause that finishes
                         the thought
          Correction:    After Maria bought the biology book, she
                         began studying for her exam.

*In this example, the subordinating conjunction, after, indicates a time
relationship between the two clauses. 



     There are two types of subordinating words: subordinating 
     conjunctions and relative pronouns.


          Subordinating conjunctions always come at the 
     beginning of subordinate clauses. 
          
     Common Subordinating Conjunctions: 
     after, although, as, as if, as long as, as though, because,
     before, even if, even though, if, if only, in order that, now
     that, once, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though,
     till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever,
     while

           Example:      If it doesn't rain tonight, we will go to
                               the park. 
                                                        

          Relative pronouns link one clause with another;
     however, they usually act as subjects or objects in their own
     clauses and are not necessarily positioned at the beginning of
     clauses.

     Relative pronouns: 
     which, that, what, whatever, who (whose, whom), whoever
     (whomever)

             Example:    My uncle who lives in my house is
                         getting married and moving out.         
          


Adjective, Adverb, and Noun Clauses
      All subordinate clauses function as adjectives, adverbs, and
nouns and are described as adjective, adverb, or noun clauses
according to their use in a particular sentence.



Adjective clauses modify nouns and pronouns, providing necessary or
helpful information about them.  These clauses usually begin with
relative pronouns, but a few begin with when or where (standing for
in which, on which, or at which).

             Example:    Diana is the girl who always get to class
                         early.  (modifies girl)
             Example:    There comes a time when each of us must 
                         work.   (modifies time)

Adverb clauses modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and whole
groups of words.  They usually tell how, why, when, where, under
what conditions, or with what result.  They always begin with
subordinating conjunctions.

             Example:    Elaine is nicer when she is talking on the
                         phone.   (modifies nicer)

             Example:    She responded as quickly as she could.
                                  (modifies quickly)



Noun clauses function as subjects, objects, and complements in
sentences.  They begin either with relative pronouns or with the
words when, where, whether, why, and how.  Unlike adjective and
adverb clauses, noun clauses replace a word (a noun) within a main
clause; therefore, they can be difficult to identify.


Subject)  Example:       The lecture pleased the audience.
          Example:       What the lecturer said pleased the
                         audience. (The noun clause replaces
                         `The lecture' as the sentence subject.


Object)   Example:       Everyone knows what a panther is.
                                   (object of knows)




Questions
     If the word group begins with how, who, whom, whose, which,
where, when, what, or why introducing a question, it can stand
alone as a complete sentence.