#WHAT DOES A FRAGMENT SENTENCE MEAN PLUS#

The appositive phrase is the appositive plus all of its modifiers. (In this sentence, teacher is the appositive. Hardy, my social studies teacher, is also my track coach. An appositive phrase is a group of words renaming a noun. #5 Appositive Phrase FragmentĪn appositive is a word that renames a noun, often the subject of a sentence. He saying my friend distracted the cafeteria ladies so I could grab it. Glade, accused me of stealing an extra milk at lunch. How an incomplete verb fragment hides: Our assistant principal, Mr. (The helping verb is before thinking would make the verb complete and the sentence correct.) When all or part of the verb is left out, an incomplete verb fragment is created.Įxample: Her boyfriend thinking she doesn’t know. To represent you the way no other candidate can. To begin a campaign against the bullies who try to make us feel small and unloved.

How an infinitive phrase fragment hides: I promise, as your student body president, to fight the administration for a longer lunch period, more time between classes, and less homework. When an infinitive phrase is written alone, it is an infinitive phrase fragment.Įxample: To deliver a message to the president. (The infinitive phrase to earn an A acts together as a predicate nominative, or predicate noun.) (Here, like is the verb, not to walk.) An infinitive phrase is to + the simple verb form + any objects and/or modifiers.

#3 Infinitive Phrase FragmentĪn infinitive is the word to plus a simple verb form (e.g., to kiss), and as a verbal, it can be a noun, adjective, or adverb. He was so into the song that that he didn’t notice the number on the door. How a participial phrase fragment hides: Singing Taylor Swift’s song “Shake It Off” at the top of his voice. Shaken and afraid of the ceaseless howling they could hear in the night. When a participial phrase is written alone, it is a participial phrase fragment.Įxamples: Shocked and amazed by the student’s answer. (The phrase jumping over the hurdle modifies runner.) Example: The runner jumping over the hurdle caught her foot and fell. Examples: jumping contest, stunned student, forgotten memory ( Jumping modifies contest, stunned modifies student, and forgotten modifies memory.) A participial phrase is a group of words beginning with a participle. #2 Participial Phrase FragmentĪ participle is a word that looks like a verb but acts like an adjective, and it usually ends in –ing, - ed, or – en. In fact, I can even shoot a bow and arrow. Swimming, playing football, and cycling are easy. How a gerund phrase fragment hides: Because I’m so athletic, I can do any sport. When a gerund phrase is written alone, it is a gerund phrase fragment. ( Running in a marathon is the subject of the sentence, and Running is the simple subject.) Example: Running in a marathon can cause permanent knee injury. ( Running is the subject of the sentence.) A gerund phrase is a group of words beginning with a gerund. #1 Gerund Phrase FragmentĪ gerund is a word that looks like a verb but acts like a noun, and it ends in –ing. A verbal can be a gerund, participle, or infinitive, and each of those can have its own type of fragment. Some terminology first: A verbal phrase is a group of words beginning with a word that looks like a verb but functions as something else. I go DEEP into sentence structure, so that’s where I’m taking this post. You can break the rule once you can follow it.īecause our students’ speech will be judged first on their agreement (specifically, subject-verb) and their writing on their sentence structure, I like to spend significant time there. I joke with students that they are allowed to use fragments stylistically (outside of formal analysis and exposition) when and only when they can prove to me their control of syntax.

As a stylistic device, I use the former a lot. I’m fully aware (and teach) that language is a fluid, constantly evolving thing and that the rules themselves have their own cozy little home in classism, racism, and misogyny but sometimes, a sentence fragment is a sentence fragment, and I like teaching students what that means.īefore I tell you about the technical way I group fragments, let’s start with the two main categories: ones we mean to create and ones we don’t. Because grammar has boundaries and rules, teaching it is actually a reprieve from the subjectivity of analysis.

What does a fragment sentence mean