A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence—that is, it doesn’t express a complete thought—because it is missing a subject, a verb, or both. A sentence fragment might also be a stand-alone dependent clause.
There are two ways to fix a fragment: you can turn it into a sentence or attach it to a nearby sentence. The best choice for revision depends on the context and the writer’s intention.
Examples of Sentence Fragments
Missing a Verb
Fragment: The gray clouds
The fragment is missing a verb.
Possible revision: The gray clouds cried a sorrowful rain.
In this revision, we’ve added the verb cried to complete the sentence.
Missing a Subject
Fragment: Was sleeping all day.
This fragment is missing a subject.
Possible revision: Rudy was sleeping all day.
To fix the fragment, we added the subject Rudy to make a complete sentence.
Missing a Subject and a Verb
Fragment: Sitting there doing nothing.
This fragment is missing both a subject and a verb.
Revision (a): Carl was sitting there doing nothing.
Here, we’ve added the subject Carl and the auxiliary verb was to make a complete sentence.
Note: Sitting in the example above might actually be intended to function as a participle, rather than as part of a present progressive verb construction. Knowing the context can help us better solve the problem.
Context in which the fragment occurred: Carl was frozen on the sofa, zombie-like. Just sitting there doing nothing.
Revision (b): Carl was frozen on the sofa, zombie-like, just sitting there doing nothing.
Here, we connected the fragment to the preceding sentence with a comma because the fragment was meant to function as a participial phrase—It was meant to add more detail to the subject, Carl.
It’s possible the writer wanted the fragment to function not as a participial phrase, but as a gerund phrase. In that case, we need to add only a verb to fix the fragment:
Just sitting there doing nothing is bad for your health. (Here, the entire gerund phrase functions as the subject of the sentence)
Missing a Subject and a Verb
Fragment: Almost every weekday and sometimes on weekends
Revision: Antonio bowls every weekday and sometimes on weekends.
To fix the fragment, we added the subject Antonio and the verb bowls.
Fragments with Subordinating Conjunctions
The following fragment contains a subject and a verb, but the attached subordinating conjunction creates a dependent clause, which means it can’t stand on its own:
Fragment: After my wife got promoted. (After is the subordinating conjunction)
Revision: After my wife got promoted, I quit my job.
To complete the sentence, we changed the period to a comma and added an independent clause. The fragment might also have been fixed by simply removing the subordinating conjunction:
After My wife got promoted.
Often, a dependent clause fragment can simply be tacked on to a nearby sentence:
I’ll be working here for another twenty years. Unless I win the lottery (fragment).
Revision: I’ll be working here for another twenty years unless I win the lottery.
Or
Unless I win the lottery, I’ll be working here for another twenty years.
Using Fragments Deliberately.
Writers don’t often use fragments in formal writing, such as academic essays, government memos, letters of official business, product documentation, etc. In these situations, intentional fragments would likely stand out as awkward and unprofessional, possibly even flippant.
But professional writers do use intentional fragments in a wide variety of genres, including news articles, blog posts, works of fiction and creative nonfiction, advertisements, presentation slides, campaign slogans, product descriptions, and many others.
Let’s look at some examples:
Fiction
Fiction authors use fragments to create images, to be suggestive and evocative, creating moods and allowing readers to form their own impressions.
In the following example, Don Delillo, in his novel Point Omega, uses fragments to allow readers to have a shared observation with the character narrating the story, who is viewing a silent, protracted scene from the movie, Psycho:
He counted six rings. The rings spinning on the curtain rod when she pulls the curtain down with her. The knife, the silence, the spinning rings.
Stand-alone images can help establish setting and mood. Another example:
Jaime dreaded driving home. The endless string of stuttering vehicles on the freeway. The broken A/C blowing uncool air. The low remorseless sun. The sweat. The hyper-awareness of time, and non-motion.
Here, five consecutive fragments convey the uncomfortable and frustrating experience of the character’s evening commute.
Check out the video below for more on using intentional fragments.
Copywriting
Copywriters use fragments to improve readability and rhythm, and to emphasize the benefits of a product or service.
The following sentence fragments come from of an Apple iPad sales page:
Super. Computer. Now in two sizes.
Learn serious code on your iPad. In a seriously fun way.
Campaign Slogans
For People, for a Change (1992, Bill Clinton)
Ross For Boss (1992, H. Ross Perot)
Country First (2008, John McCain)
Blog Post
The following passage uses fragments to create a rhythm and personal tone commonly found in blog posts:
We all know spending time with our children is important. But just how important? Actually, More than you probably think. Read my interview with the nation’s top child psychologist below:
In the above example, two consecutive fragments establish not only rhythm, but also place emphasis on the story’s hook: the underestimated importance of parents spending time with their children.
As you see, the fragment has its place. Knowing when, where, and how to use it should be part of your writer’s toolbox.