Grammar: Fragments

Summary

This video lesson explains the concept of sentence fragments, highlighting common types and errors. It starts by defining a complete sentence, which includes a subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought. The teacher then outlines various fragment errors, such as missing subjects or verbs, dependent clauses, and common issues with words like 'to,' 'hoping,' and 'such as.' Practical examples are provided to show how these fragments can be fixed, helping viewers improve their understanding and usage of correct sentence structures.

Takeaways

• 😀 A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought, including a subject, a verb, and a statement of complete thought.
• 😀 A fragment is an incomplete sentence that may be missing a subject, verb, or both, or it may fail to express a complete thought.
• 😀 Fragments can occur even if the sentence has a subject and a verb but still doesn't form a complete thought.
• 😀 Common dependent words that can cause fragments include after, as, because, before, even if, if, since, when, unless, and while.
• 😀 To fix a dependent clause fragment, remove the dependent word or complete the thought with additional information.
• 😀 Some fragments occur when a sentence lacks a subject, leaving just a verb or action phrase.
• 😀 Another fragment error occurs when a sentence starts with a word ending in -ing, such as 'hoping,' which leaves the sentence incomplete.
• 😀 'To' fragments happen when a sentence begins with 'to' without being part of a complete thought.
• 😀 Example fragments occur when words like 'including,' 'such as,' or 'for example' are used without completing the thought.
• 😀 A sentence must include a subject, verb, and a complete thought to be grammatically correct and not a fragment.

Q & A

What is a fragment in grammar?

A fragment is an incomplete sentence. It might be missing a subject, a verb, or it may have both but still does not express a complete thought.

What does a complete sentence require?

A complete sentence requires a subject (who or what the sentence is about), a verb (which expresses the action or links the subject to other words), and a statement of complete thought.

What is an example of a complete sentence?

An example of a complete sentence is: 'The students are bored.' It has a subject ('the students'), a verb ('are'), and expresses a complete thought.

What is a dependent clause and how can it cause a fragment?

A dependent clause starts with a dependent word like 'after,' 'because,' or 'when' and does not express a complete thought. For example, 'After Christina saw the accident' is a dependent clause. It can be fixed by either removing the dependent word or completing the thought.

How can you fix a fragment that is missing a subject?

If a fragment is missing a subject, you can fix it by adding a subject. For example, 'Finished all her homework' becomes 'Maria finished all her homework.'

What are ing fragments, and how can they be fixed?

Ing fragments occur when a sentence begins with a verb ending in 'ing,' such as 'hoping to finish on time.' To fix this, you add a subject and a linking verb, like 'Mari Carmen was hoping to finish on time.'

What are 'to' fragments, and how can they be fixed?

'To' fragments begin with the word 'to' but do not express a complete thought. For example, 'To the park' is a fragment. To fix this, you complete the thought by adding a subject and a verb, like 'Caesar took his dog to the park.'

What is an example fragment involving the word 'including'?

An example of a fragment with the word 'including' is: 'Including pizza.' To fix this, you can add a subject and complete the thought, like 'German likes to cook his favorite foods, including pizza.'

What is the difference between a dependent clause and an independent clause?

A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a complete sentence because it does not express a complete thought. An independent clause, on the other hand, can stand alone and express a complete thought.

Why is it important to understand fragments when learning grammar?

Understanding fragments is important because it helps ensure that your sentences are clear, complete, and grammatically correct. Fragments can confuse the reader and weaken communication.