1. Sentence Fragments and Comma Splices
Grammar Workshop
Sentence Fragments and Comma Splices

2. Sentence Fragments
Sentence fragments often are missing either the subject or the predicate (verb)
A subject names someone or something
A predicate makes assertions about the subject
A fragment may also fail to complete a thought.
Examples:
The bicycle over there. I’d like to buy that bicycle over there.
Good job. You did a good job sanding the floor.
Not if I can help it. Nobody will steal my seat if I can help it.

3. Sentence Fragments
If a fragment is a phrase, link it to a near by sentence or make it a complete sentence by adding the missing component: a subject or a verb.
Examples
Incorrect: Malcom has two goals. Wealth and power.
Correct: Malcom has two goals: wealth and power. ( The phrase Wealth and power has no verb; a colon links the two goals.)
Incorrect: To stamp out the union. That was the bosses’ plan.
Correct: To stamp out the union was the bosses’ plan. (The infinitive phrase To Stamp out the union has no main verb or subject; it becomes the sentence subject.)

4. Sentence fragments
If a fragment is a subordinate clause, link it to a nearby sentence, or drop the subordinating clause.
Subordinating clauses show your reader the relative importance of ideas, how one follows from another or affects another.
Example
Fragment: Although Jason has a keen sense of humor. He has an obnoxious, braying laugh.
Complete sentence: Although Jason has a keen sense of humor, he has an obnoxious, braying laugh.
To see more examples review pg. 766.

5. Sentence fragments
If a sentence has a participle (the –ing form of the verb) but no other verb, change the participle to a main verb, or link the fragment to a nearby sentence.
Examples
Jon was used to the pressure of deadlines. Having worked the night shift at the daily newspaper.
Jon was used to the pressure of deadlines, having worked the night shift at the daily newspaper. OR
Jon was used to the pressure of deadlines. He had worked the night shift at the daily newspaper.

6. Sentence fragments
If a fragment is part of a compound predicate, add it to the sentence with the subject and the rest of the predicate.
Example
In spite of a pulled muscle, Jeremy ran the race. And won.
In spite of a pulled muscle, Jeremy ran the race and won. OR
In spite of a pulled muscle, Jeremy ran the race – and he won.

7. Comma splices & fused sentences
Comma splices are used with combining two complete sentences without a conjunction.
Fused sentences are two complete sentences combined without punctuation or a conjunction.
Two Complete sentences:
The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire. The drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
CS: The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire, the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
FS: The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.

8. Comma Splices
CS: The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire, the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
FS: The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
For both sentences, you can add a conjunction or a period.
The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire, but the drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.
The detective wriggled on his belly toward the campfire. The drunken smugglers didn’t notice him.