A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It's like a puzzle piece without a corresponding match. Instead of standing alone as a complete sentence, a fragment leaves the reader hanging, wondering what's missing. Let's look at some common types of fragments:
Fragment: Although it was raining.
Complete Sentence: Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.
Fragment: Because I was tired.
Complete Sentence: I didn't go to the party because I was tired.
Fragment: In the park.
Complete Sentence: We had a picnic in the park.
Here are a few tricks to identify sentence fragments:
Check if the sentence has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a verb (the action or state of being).
Ensure that the sentence expresses a complete idea, not just a part of one.
Look out for subordinating conjunctions like "although," "because," "since," etc., which might turn a sentence into a fragment.
Now that we know what sentence fragments are, let's explore how to fix them:
Identify what's missing (subject, verb, or complete thought) and add the necessary elements.
If you have two fragments that make sense together, combine them into a single sentence.
Sometimes, a simple punctuation mark can turn a fragment into a complete sentence. For example, add a subject and a verb to your fragment, then use a comma or semicolon to connect it to the previous sentence.
Remember, constructing complete sentences is like solving a linguistic puzzle - each piece plays a crucial role in conveying your thoughts clearly. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be crafting sentences that are as flawless as they are fabulous.