Common Sentence Errors - Fragments

Fragment

Is a part of a sentence written as a complete sentence.

Acceptable Fragments

A. Exclamations:

How Terrible!
What a nuisance!

B. Bits of dialogue:

“Know him?”
“Sure do.”
“Like him?”
“Nope.”

C. Commands (Subject Understood)

Wait.
Stop.
Sit down.

D. Transitions

On with the dance.

Unacceptable Fragments

A. A verbal phrase offered as a sentence:

Fragment: We visited the museum. Hoping to find information for the term paper.

Correction: Hoping to find information for a term paper, we visted the museum

B. A subordinate clause offered as a sentence:

Fragment: We found some excellent books on our topic. Although we did not understand all of them.

Correction: We found some excellent books on our topic, although we did not understand all of them.

D. A noun followed by a phrase but lacking a verb:

Fragment: We questioned John. John being the night watchman.

Correction: We questioned John, the night watchman.

D. A noun followed by a clause but lacking a verb:

Fragment: We consulted an expert. A man who had spent many years studying his subject.

Correction: We consulted an expert, a man who had spent many years studying his subject.

Work Cited From "English Grammar Simplified"