Teach Your Kids to Write Right - Fragments
Fragments are simply incomplete sentences. In order to be complete, a sentence must contain an independent clause. That simply means that the words must contain a subject and a verb, and together they must make a complete thought.
Examples
Example 1 - When she went to the store to buy some eggs to make Lilly a pie. Incomplete - There is a subject and a verb here, but the thought is incomplete. The phrase above is what is known as a dependent clause. It needs an independent clause to finish it off. When she went to the store to buy some eggs to make Lilly a pie, she realized she forgot her wallet. Complete - The last part of this sentence is an independent clause, making it compete.
Example 2 - Unable to ride on the train. Incomplete - The verb is fine here, but there is no subject. Who is unable to ride on the train? Nellie Badilly is unable to ride on the train. Complete - Nellie Badilly is the subject.
Example 3 - One of the young readers, asking about the story. Incomplete - Ing verbs cannot stand on their own. They require a helping verb. One of the young readers, asking about the story, wondered why the spider was so mean. Complete - “wondered” saves the day here.
So teach your kids to make sure their sentences are complete - not run on sentences, but concise and complete, containing independent clauses.
If not you be not happy. If yes, you happy. All of us happy.



















