![]() One is to make an educated guess based on the context and complete the sentence. If you do spot a fragment that seems incorrect or inappropriate, you have two choices. When clarity or formality are at issue, then, fragments are usually problematic. There will be some exceptions – e.g., an academic book may include stylistic flourishes on the part of the author, or a work of fiction may use sentence fragments that are deliberately obscure and confusing to unsettle the reader – but these are rare. If sentence fragments seem accidental or make the writing less clear.In formal writing (e.g., academic essays or business reports), which should typically follow standard English grammar and use complete sentences.However, there are two main situations in which you may need to correct them: As such, they may not always need correcting. When Does a Sentence Fragment Need Correcting?įragments are technically ungrammatical, but they are also a common part of everyday speech and writing. In fact, as long as the document type permits non-standard English, they can help authors achieve their goals, whether this is creating a compelling narrative or selling a product. These kinds of sentence fragments are fine as long as they make sense in context. Why do we persist in writing grammatically? Because we care. The bullets flew past his head, making his ears ring. Giving an immediate answer to a rhetorical question.Making short, sharp emphatic statements.Mimicking human speech, especially in dialogue.Varying the pace and flow of prose, creating anticipation or tension.Some common uses of sentence fragments, for instance, include: ![]() This is most common in fiction and other kinds of creative writing, but it also applies to copy writing and journalism. When Are Sentence Fragments Okay?Ĭertain types of writing bend grammar rules for effect. When and how to correct fragments as a proofreader.įor more on how to handle sentence fragments as a proofreader, check out our advice below.A few ways in which writers use sentence fragments for effect.The short answer is “no.” Many writers use sentence fragments deliberately, especially in creative writing and commercial copy. But is a sentence fragment always an error? And, as a proofreader, you would usually correct ungrammatical text in a document. If you are telling a story, a few fragments might suit your purpose and style well, but if you are writing an essay or crafting a business document, it’s best to steer clear of them.Strictly speaking, sentence fragments – incomplete sentences that don’t express a complete thought – are ungrammatical. And he did is a sentence beginning with a conjunction, and it’s a one-sentence paragraph.Īs always, judge for yourself who your audience is and how much wiggle room you have for breaking the rules. Your high school English teacher would find three things wrong with this description. All the same, he was determined to astound us. No one thought that Ethan could make the jump it was just too high. Journalists, bloggers, and fiction writers often use them. That said, a fragment within a clear context can sometimes serve a valid dramatic purpose. Without question, you should avoid sentence fragments in formal situations and academic writing. ![]() READ MORE: When (and how) to fix sentence fragments Stylistic sentence fragments Fragments can sound as if they are carelessly blurted out. It’s a subtle psychological difference, but if you are corresponding in a formal setting, it is worth taking care to write complete sentences. Adding the subject will build a stronger, more confident-sounding sentence: Another famous example of a short-but-complete sentence is “Jesus wept.”Īvoiding sentence fragments not only makes your writing easier to read, but it can also make you sound more polished in polite correspondence. Nothing in the sentence demands further explanation. I ran may be a short thought, but it has a subject ( I) and a verb ( ran). But that doesn’t mean that short sentences can’t be complete. In that example, making the sentence longer was the solution. Now the fragment has become a dependent clause attached to a sentence that has a subject ( the party) and a verb ( was canceled). To complete it, we need further explanation:īecause of the rain, the party was canceled. It leaves us wondering what happened because of the rain. On its own, because of the rain doesn’t form a complete thought. Here is a glaring example of a sentence fragment: For example, you could hide under their beds and wait for dark.īoth remedies result in structurally sound sentences. There are many ways to frighten little brothers.
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