Handling Handling Fragments, Run-ons Fragments, Run-ons

and Parallelism.and Parallelism.

BASIC MAKE UP OF A BASIC MAKE UP OF A SENTENCESENTENCE

A COMPLETE SENTENCE MUST A COMPLETE SENTENCE MUST HAVE:HAVE:

1. SUBJECT1. SUBJECT

2. VERB2. VERB

3. A COMPLETE IDEA 3. A COMPLETE IDEA

FragmentFragment? ?

Means incomplete sentence!Means incomplete sentence!

Why?Why?

The sentence DID NOT fulfill The sentence DID NOT fulfill the 3 REQUIRED criteria the 3 REQUIRED criteria

of a sentence!of a sentence!

1. MISSING SUBJECT.1. MISSING SUBJECT. Ex: Just can’t wait to be married!Ex: Just can’t wait to be married! WHO is that desperate person? Identity WHO is that desperate person? Identity

must be revealed!must be revealed! If concealed, it is a FRAGMENT!If concealed, it is a FRAGMENT! MUST ADD SUBJECT.MUST ADD SUBJECT. 2. MISSING VERB 2. MISSING VERB bebe or or havehave Ex: She angered by those thoughtlessEx: She angered by those thoughtless

remarks!remarks! This sentence lacks a This sentence lacks a bebe VERB VERB

3. INCOMPLETE IDEA 3. INCOMPLETE IDEA BEWARE of DEPENDENT CLAUSES BEWARE of DEPENDENT CLAUSES

that begin with SUBORDINATOR or that begin with SUBORDINATOR or CONJUNCTIONS, such as :after, CONJUNCTIONS, such as :after, although, as, because, before, even although, as, because, before, even though, if, since, that, so that, when, though, if, since, that, so that, when, while, who…while, who…

Ex: Because he loves giving her Ex: Because he loves giving her beautiful flowers, especially tulips, beautiful flowers, especially tulips, roses, and lilies.roses, and lilies.

The listener will be right there waiting The listener will be right there waiting for the continuation of the story! for the continuation of the story! INCOMPLETE!!!INCOMPLETE!!!

4. Be careful with added-detail 4. Be careful with added-detail fragments.fragments.

Added detail fragments lack a subject and a Added detail fragments lack a subject and a verb. They begin with these words: verb. They begin with these words:

Also, especially, except, for example, like, Also, especially, except, for example, like, such as, including.such as, including.

Before a competition, I have to eat starchy Before a competition, I have to eat starchy food. food. Such as bread and spaghettiSuch as bread and spaghetti. I get . I get instant energy from such food. instant energy from such food.

‘‘Such as bread and spaghetti’ is NOT a Such as bread and spaghetti’ is NOT a complete sentence. EVERY sentence must complete sentence. EVERY sentence must have subject, verb and complete idea.have subject, verb and complete idea.

How to correct? ADD it to the preceding or How to correct? ADD it to the preceding or the next sentence, whichever makes sense. the next sentence, whichever makes sense.

5.5. –ing and To fragments. –ing and To fragments. It is a problem when gerunds or to-infinitive It is a problem when gerunds or to-infinitive

starts a sentence.starts a sentence. She is a very responsible daughter. She is a very responsible daughter. Trying Trying

hard to make ends meethard to make ends meet. She takes up two . She takes up two part time work after class.part time work after class.

Trying to make ends meet is NOT complete.Trying to make ends meet is NOT complete. How to change? How to change? Attach the fragment to the preceding Attach the fragment to the preceding

sentence or the next sentence, whichever sentence or the next sentence, whichever makes sense.makes sense.

Or add a subject and change the –ing verb Or add a subject and change the –ing verb to the correct form of verb. Ex: She tries to the correct form of verb. Ex: She tries hard to make ends meet.hard to make ends meet.

RUN-ONSRUN-ONS

Happens when there are MORE than Happens when there are MORE than ONE independent clauses in a sentence.ONE independent clauses in a sentence.

2 types of RUN-ONS:2 types of RUN-ONS: 1. FUSED- 2 or more independent 1. FUSED- 2 or more independent

clauses combined without proper clauses combined without proper punctuation marks between them. punctuation marks between them.

Ex: Mummy is upset we must be Ex: Mummy is upset we must be careful .careful .

2 independent clauses are combined 2 independent clauses are combined without any punctuation marks.without any punctuation marks.

Run-onsRun-ons

2. Comma splice.2. Comma splice. Happens when the punctuation mark Happens when the punctuation mark

used, the COMMA, is inadequate to used, the COMMA, is inadequate to combine 2 independent clauses.combine 2 independent clauses.

Ex: Mummy is upset, we must be Ex: Mummy is upset, we must be careful.careful.

RUN-ONSRUN-ONS 3 main ways to handle RUN-ONS3 main ways to handle RUN-ONS 1. 1. use a stronger commause a stronger comma: the semi-colon: the semi-colon Ex: Mummy is upset; we must be careful.Ex: Mummy is upset; we must be careful. 2. maintain the comma but insert 2. maintain the comma but insert

coordinating conjunction : The FANBOYS coordinating conjunction : The FANBOYS Ex: Mummy is upset, so we must be careful.Ex: Mummy is upset, so we must be careful. 3. Insert a full stop with or without a 3. Insert a full stop with or without a

transitional word or phrase (ex: likewise, transitional word or phrase (ex: likewise, thus, therefore, etc)thus, therefore, etc)

Ex: Mummy is upset. (Hence), we must be Ex: Mummy is upset. (Hence), we must be careful. careful.

Parallelism?Parallelism?

It means to put all items in a It means to put all items in a seriesseries in the in the same grammatical formsame grammatical form: : Singular with singulars, Plurals with Singular with singulars, Plurals with plurals, nouns with nouns, active plurals, nouns with nouns, active with actives and passives with with actives and passives with passives and etc.passives and etc.

1. In sentences with several items in 1. In sentences with several items in the the passivepassive voice, the voice, the auxiliary may auxiliary may be repeatedbe repeated each time or each time or used before used before the first itemthe first item only. only. Ex: The prisoner was arrested, was Ex: The prisoner was arrested, was tried and was found guilty.tried and was found guilty.The prisoner was arrested, tried, and The prisoner was arrested, tried, and found guilty.found guilty.

2. The same principle applies to the 2. The same principle applies to the use of articles, preposition or even use of articles, preposition or even the to-infinitivethe to-infinitive in a series. The key is in a series. The key is to be consistent.to be consistent.Ex: James keeps his money Ex: James keeps his money everywhere, in the drawers, in the everywhere, in the drawers, in the bottles, and in the shoes!bottles, and in the shoes!

3.Mixing 3.Mixing gerunds and infinitivesgerunds and infinitives in in the same series is a common the same series is a common parallelism error.parallelism error.

For example: My summer hobbies For example: My summer hobbies are hiking, boating and to go are hiking, boating and to go mountain climbing.mountain climbing.

It should be: My summer hobbies It should be: My summer hobbies are are hiking, boatinghiking, boating and and mountain mountain climbingclimbing..

Descriptive words must be balanced.Descriptive words must be balanced.

For example: The students are For example: The students are required to complete their required to complete their assignment within a short period of assignment within a short period of time, and that restricts their ability time, and that restricts their ability to express their ideas to express their ideas imaginativeimaginativelyly, , creativecreatively,ly, and and innovativeinnovativelyly

Correlative conjunctions like Correlative conjunctions like neither…nor, either…or, not only…neither…nor, either…or, not only…but also… must also pair parallel but also… must also pair parallel ideas.ideas.

For example: She should For example: She should eithereither sendsend her children to that tuition centre her children to that tuition centre oror teach them herself.teach them herself.

The items in a list must be kept in The items in a list must be kept in the same form.the same form.

For example: A student ought to be For example: A student ought to be punctual, obedient, and respect their punctual, obedient, and respect their elders.elders.

It should be respectful because the It should be respectful because the previous words are adjectives.previous words are adjectives.

Thank you for Thank you for listening listening