5: Fragments, Run-ons, and Modifiers

Recognizing Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier seems to modify the wrong word or no word at all because the word it should modify has been omitted from the sentence. Dangling participial phrases are corrected by adding missing words and making other needed changes. In the example, an engineer did the measuring, not the span over the river. Dangling Participial Phrase Measuring carefully, the span over the river was closed accurately. Corrected Sentence Measuring carefully, the engineer accurately closed the span over the river.

Repairing a fragment 1

A fragment containing a pronoun and a participial phrase can often be repaired by dropping the pronoun and adding the participial phrase to a nearby sentence. Pronoun and Participial Fragment The one hanging in the closet. Added to a Nearby Sentence I wore the leotard hanging in the closet.

Make sure a sentence contains a subject and verb

A fragment does not always contain a small number of words. If a series of words seems long enough to be a sentence, make sure that it contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Attaching a subordinate clause to a fragment 2

Adjective Clause Fragment Which was being performed outdoors. Completed Sentence I enjoyed watching the dance rehearsal, which was being performed outdoors. Adverb Clause Fragment After she practiced the new dance routine. Completed Sentence After she practiced the new dance routine, she was ready for the show. Noun Clause Fragment Whatever ballet we see in this theater. Completed Sentence We always enjoy whatever ballet we see in this theater.

Completed Sentence

After reading Steinbeck's novel, with its probing look at poverty and greed, in the style so typical of this master storyteller, I was able to prepare an interesting oral presentation.

Series Fragment

After reading Steinbeck's novel, with its probing look at poverty and greed, in the style so typical of this master storyteller.

Which sentence ending corrects the sentence fragment? An ice-skating champion at the age of ten,

An ice-skating champion at the age of ten, / Nina Ananiashvili was encouraged to study ballet.

Adding parts to a fragment 1

Another way to correct a fragment is to add any missing sentence part that is needed to make the fragment a complete sentence. One typical fragment error involves writing a noun phrase (a noun with its modifiers) as if it were a sentence. However, a noun phrase will need a verb if it is to be used as a subject. If the noun phrase is to be used as a complement, an object of a preposition, or an appositive, it will need both a subject and a verb.

Vague Modifier

Appears to modify two words. The phrase upon her arrival could modify either the verb heard or the verb had resigned. Move the phrase so that it clearly modifies one part of the sentence or the other.

Which is a fused sentence?

Ballet is good exercise it strengthens the muscles.

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

Born in Germany, America became John Augustus Roebling's home in 1831.

Corrections

Corrected Sentence To cross the river, you must pay the bridge toll. Dangling Elliptical Clause While sailing under the bridge, a school of porpoises was sighted. Corrected Sentence While sailing under the bridge, we sighted a school of porpoises.

Dangling Infinitive Phrases and Elliptical Clauses

Dangling infinitive phrases and elliptical clauses can be corrected in the same way. The problem will generally be with the verb rather than with the noun or pronoun. However, you will usually need to change a noun or pronoun as well as the verb. Dangling Infinitive Clause To cross the river, the bridge toll must be paid.

Recognizing Fragments

Do not capitalize and punctuate phrases, subordinate clauses, or words in a series as if they were complete sentences. Reading your work aloud and listening to the natural pauses and stops should help you avoid fragments. Sometimes, you can repair a fragment by connecting it to words that come before or after it.

Which is a fused sentence?

I love autumn it is my favorite season.

I take dance classes after school I want to be a ballerina. Which revision most effectively corrects the fused sentence?

I take dance classes after school because I want to be a ballerina.

I want to be a doctor, I have to do well in science class. Which revision most effectively corrects the comma splice?

If I want to be a doctor, I have to do well in science class.

Which sentence is a comma splice?

Large movements of a limb are preferred over small isolated movements of different body parts, the limbs and torso are expected to work in harmony with the head.

Which is a sentence fragment?

Mikhail Baryshnikov, one of the twentieth century's finest ballet dancers and known throughout the world.

Adding parts to a fragment

Notice what missing sentence parts must be added to the types of phrase fragments to make them complete. Noun Fragment with Participial Phrase The food eaten by us. Completed Sentence The food was eaten by us. Verb Fragment Will be at the rehearsal today. Completed Sentence I will be at the rehearsal today.

Example

Noun Fragment The troupe of lively young dancers. Completed Sentences The troupe of lively young dancers moved across the stage. We excitedly watched the troupe of lively young dancers.

Fixing a fragment

One way to correct a fragment is to connect it to the words in a nearby sentence. Participial Fragment Inspired by the grace of the dancer. Added to a Nearby Sentence Inspired by the grace of the dancer, Linda saw the performance again. Prepositional Fragment Before her partner.Added to a Nearby Sentence The ballerina came on stage before her partner.

Repairing a fragment 2

Sometimes, you may need to add missing sentence parts. Remember that every complete sentence must have both a subject and a verb and express a complete thought. Check to see that each of your sentences contains all of the parts necessary to be complete.

Which sentence has a dangling modifier?

Stretching logs, ropes or cables over a stream, the earliest bridges were built by ancient peoples.

The Brooklyn Bridge connects Brooklyn and Manhattan, once the longest suspension bridge in the world. Which revision most effectively corrects the misplaced modifier?

The Brooklyn Bridge, once the longest suspension bridge in the world, connects Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier?

The George Washington Bridge is a suspension toll bridge for vehicles traveling 212 feet above the water.

Still surviving today, the ancient Romans built many stone arch bridges. Which revision corrects the dangling modifier in the sentence?

The ancient Romans built many stone arch bridges that still survive today.

Fused and Comma Spliced Sentances

The dancers practiced every day they were soon the best in the state. Only one package arrived in the mail, the other items never came.

Toe dancing was developed in the early nineteenth century, it was not widely used until the 1830s. Which revision most effectively corrects the comma splice?

Toe dancing was developed in the early nineteenth century, but it was not widely used until the 1830s.

Which is a comma splice?

Two great ballet dancers began their careers in St. Petersburg, they were Anna Pavlova and Vaslav Nijinsky.

Which is a sentence fragment?

When a Florence noblewoman named Catherine de Medici became Queen of France in 1547.

Recognizing Misplaced Modifiers

When modifiers are misplaced in a sentence, the result is often silly, illogical, or confusing. A misplaced modifier is placed too far from the modified word and appears to modify the wrong word or words. Seems to modify the wrong word in the sentence. Any modifying phrase or clause can be misplaced.

Which is the most effective way to correct the fragment in sentence 5?

Which brought him new fame as an actor. Attach the fragment to sentence 4.

Walking down the street, a strap on my backpack broke. Which revision most effectively corrects the dangling modifier?

While I was walking down the street, a strap on my backpack broke.

Attaching a subordinate clause to a fragment 1

You may need to attach a subordinate clause to an independent clause to correct a fragment. A subordinate clause contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. Therefore, it cannot stand alone as a sentence. Link the subordinate clause to an independent clause to make the sentence complete.

Which is a sentence fragment?

sentence 5

As I was calling my friend _____. Which ending correctly completes the sentence?

the phone went dead

Avoiding Run-on Sentences

two or more sentences capitalized and punctuated as if they were one. Use punctuation and conjunctions to join or separate parts of a run-on sentence correctly. There are two kinds of run-ons: fused sentences, which are two or more sentences joined with no punctuation, and comma splices, which have two or more sentences separated only by commas.