Sentence Fragments: Phrases

Sentence Fragments: Phrases

Identifying a Phrase Fragment

A phrase is a group of words lacking a subject or a verb or both. A phrase cannot be punctuated as a sentence. When you edit a draft of your writing, check every word group punctuated as a sentence that begins with an infinitive phrase (to + base form of verb), a verb (particularly a verb form ending in -ing or -ed), or a prepositional phrase (beginning with a word such as in, on, or at). Make sure that the phrase is attached to an independent clause. Make sure, too, that a noun phrase, such as an appositive phrase, is part of a complete sentence.

Methods of Correcting

1.	Attach the phrase to a nearby independent clause. This example corrects an infinitive phrase fragment.

	Faulty	He wanted to make a point. To prove to everyone that he was capable.
	Revised	He wanted to make a point to prove to everyone that he was capable. [Simply remove the period and capital letter.]
	This example corrects a past-participle phrase fragment.
	Faulty	Ralph talked for hours. Elated by the company's success.
	Revised	Ralph talked for hours, elated by the company's success. [Use a comma before a past participle form and remove the capital letter.]

2.	Change the phrase to an independent clause. This example corrects an -ing participle phrase.

	Faulty	Althea works every evening. Just trying to keep up with her boss's demands.
	Revised	Althea works every evening. She is just trying to keep up with her boss's demands. [Add a subject and verb.]

3.	Rewrite the whole passage. This example corrects a past participle phrase.

	Faulty	Ralph talked for hours. Elated by the company's success.
	Revised	Ralph was so elated by the company's success that he talked for hours. [Make the fragment into a clause and connect it to another clause with a subordinating word (in this case, one showing a result).]