![]() ![]() What is missing from this sentence? Who slammed the door? Missing a subject: Slammed the door and left.So how can we tell the difference between a sentence and a sentence fragment? And how can we fix fragments?Ī sentence fragment is simply a sentence that is missing something. These are grammatical structures that cannot stand on their own. E.Fragments are simply grammatically incomplete sentences.Am I a Grammar Snob? - Write with Jean on Parallel Construction.Crafting Better Sentences: Use “That” Carefully.Crafting Better Sentences: Use “It” Carefully.Crafting Better Sentences: Use “However” Carefully.Crafting Better Sentences: Use “And” Carefully.Crafting Better Sentences: Use “Although” Carefully.Sample Essay: The Magic of Ballroom Dancing.Quiz ANSWERS: Do You Know How to Write an Essay?.Quiz: Do You Know How to Write an Essay?.Business Writing Tip #3: Be Professional.What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You.You can purchase Jean's book in paperback and Kindle editions from (paid link). avoid starting sentences with an -ing word.avoid starting sentences with which, who, like, and such as.start every sentence with a person, place, or thing.There’s not a lot here to remember – and these tips can be a great confidence builder. CORRECTĪre you thinking I should include a correct sentence starting with an -ing word? OK, here’s one:ĭancing never fails to bring me joy. Molly jumped up and down with joy when her father walked in the door. Jumping up and down with joy when her father walked in the door. Avoid starting a sentence with an -ing word unless (again) you’re sure what you’re doing. Like many children, Blake loves to play with his Legos. Like my cousin Jane who works in a big hospital. Fragments starting with like are very common. But please don’t unless you’re sure you’re doing it correctly. ![]() Honesty compels me to add that yes, you can write a perfectly good sentence that starts with like. I often do it myself. Memorize this list (it’s short!) of no-no ways to start a sentence: which (you know that already!), like, who, and such as. What you will end up with are complete sentences – no fragments.Ģ. ![]() Many everyday tasks don’t require fancy writing. You won’t end up with fancy sentences, but that shouldn’t be a problem. I tell police officers and other public safety workers to use this strategy for their reports. Start every sentence with a person, place, or thing. But why not make it simple? Here are three tricks that will help you avoid most fragments:ġ. (Questions starting with which are ok, of course, but not sentences.) I suppose it’s possible that someone could come up with a legitimate sentence that starts with which, but I don’t recommend making a habit of it.Īs an English teacher with decades of experience, I could give you a long spiel about avoiding fragments. Which only creates confusion and anxiety.Īnd there, my friend, you have a sentence fragment: Which only creates confusion and anxiety. We English teachers hate them (with good reason!), and often we spend huge amounts of time trying to teach students how to avoid them. They’re a common problem with students and inexperienced writers. Today we’re going to talk about sentence fragments (incomplete sentences). ![]()
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