The Student Learning Center

(Some of the definitions and examples in this article for fragments and comma splices are adapted from The DELUXE TRANSITIVE VAMPIRE, The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager and the Doomed, by Karen Elizabeth Gordon.)

1. FRAGMENTS

   Fragments are subordinate (dependent) clauses or phrases that don’t express a complete thought. To fix them, you might be able to add a verb or subject, or to delete a dependent word such as who, which, that, after, although, because, even though, if, since, until, when, where, while.

   (NOTE: To learn more about dependent words, scroll down or click here).

   
   Fragment: An emerald shade of green which caught her eye.

   Sentence: An emerald shade of green caught her eye.

   
   Fragment: Tripping over the torn linoleum. She was floored.

   Sentence: Tripping over the torn linoleum, she was floored.

   
   Fragment: The band never arrived. The result being that they upset a concert hall of excitable fans

   Sentences:
   The band never arrived, with the result being that they upset a concert hall of excitable fans.
   The band never arrived, which upset a concert hall full of excitable fans.
   By never arriving, the band upset a concert hall of excitable fans.

2. RUN-ONS

   Run-on sentences are “sentences” that combine at least two independent clauses without using appropriate connecting words and/or punctuation between them.

   
   Run-on: Her poise and sophistication are intimidating they bring out the insecurity in me.

   Sentence: Her poise and sophistication are intimidating; they bring out the insecurity in me.

   
   Run-on: He longs to visit distant countries, for instance, he’d like to go where his grandfather was born.

   Sentence: He longs to visit distant countries, such as the one where his grandfather was born. Among the distant countries he longs to visit is the one where his grandfather was born.

   
   Run-on: The electrician snipped the wrong wire it zapped him.

   Sentence:

   The electrician snipped the wrong wire, and it zapped him.

   Snipping the wrong wire, the electrician was zapped.

3. COMMA SPLICES

   Comma splices are run-on sentences created by using a comma instead of a conjunction, semi-colon, or period to separate two independent clauses.

   Splice: One type of student studies just enough to get by, another type devotes nearly every

   free minute to studying.

   Sentence: One type of student studies just enough to get by; another type devotes nearly every

   free minute to studying.

   Splice: She wrapped herself up in a blanket, there was no other way to keep warm.

   Sentence: She wrapped herself up in a blanket because there was no other way to keep warm.

   Splice: Their relatives never failed to arrive without wine and chocolates, therefore, they were

   always welcome at family gatherings.

   Sentence: Their relatives never failed to arrive without wine and chocolate; therefore, they were always welcome at family gatherings.

4. DEPENDENT WORDS (also called subordinating words)

   Rule 1: To be a DEPENDENT WORD (DW), the word MUST be followed by an S-V group (Subject-Verb).
   
   Rule 2: An S-V group starting with a DW is called a DEPENDENT CLAUSE (DC).
    

   Rule 3: If a sentence starts with a DC, a comma should follow the DC.
   
   Rule 4: A DC cannot stand alone. A DC by itself is called a sentence FRAGMENT. For a sentence to be complete, an independent clause (IC) must come either before or after a DC.
    

   after

   in order that

   whenever

   although

   just as

   where

   as

   like (= same as)

   whereas

   as if, as though

   once (= as soon as)

   wherever

   because

   since

   whether

   before

   so that (= in order that)

   which*

   even if, even though

   than (not “then”)

   whichever*

   ever since

   that*

   while

   every time

   though (but not if it means “however”)

   who***

   everywhere

   unless

   whoever***

   how**

   until

   whom*

   if

   what***

   whomever*

   inasmuch as

   whatever

   whose***

    

   when

   why**

   
   * These are special dependent words called relative pronouns.

   ** In questions these might NOT be DW’s: Who did it? Whose is it?

   *** Both of the above (* & **)

   
   NOTE It makes a BIG DIFFERENCE which DW you use.

   She exercised although she was tired. (She did it anyway, even though she was tired.)

   She exercised because she was tired. (She did it because she thought it would help.)

   
   NOTE It makes a SUBTLE DIFFERENCE where you choose to put your DC: The DC at the beginning can give the idea that it is the more important idea than the IC.

   Because she was tired, she exercised. (emphasizes her tiredness)

   She exercised because she was tired. (emphasizes her exercising)
    

   

   NOT DEPENDENT WORDS (These words are ADVERBS or ADVERBIAL CONJUNCTIONS):

   besides (when it means “also”)

   in fact

   then

   consequently

   indeed

   therefore

   furthermore

   moreover

   though

   hence

   nevertheless

   though (when it means “however”)

   however (when it means “but”)

   subsequently

   thus