#What means also a sentence fragment update

There are two important exceptions to this rule: the passive tense and imperatives. We need to know why you’re worth it, hence the necessity of another clause to complete that thought.

Remember “Because you’re worth it”? If we kept our definition to subject and verb, this would be considered a complete sentence, however, the “because” leaves us hanging.

#What means also a sentence fragment update

Bearing that in mind, let’s update our definition to: A full sentence contains a subject, verb, and complete thought. Something like: “She swam in the sea” or “She swam quickly”. While “She swam” could be said to be a complete sentence, the reader instinctively feels something is lacking. However, a subject and verb alone are sometimes not enough to make a full sentence. What is a sentence fragment?Ī sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence, that is a sentence that lacks a subject and a verb.

Which is why this little essay begins with a definition. And as any competent wordsmith knows, if you’re going to break the rules, you must fully understand them. Like any controversial subject, it’s complex. If sentence fragments are an integral part of our linguistic reality, are they acceptable in fiction? The answer is yes, but only sometimes. Which brings us to the crux of the dilemma. Fancy it?” In short, while we know in theory they are wrong, in the right context sentence fragments can feel absolutely right. And while she might shout “ I’m going out” at his retreating figure, she might also equally text a friend the following: “Bad day. A sullen teen, limiting himself to as few words as possible might grunt to his mother: “Going out”. Take, for instance: “Because you’re worth it”, “The beer of kings”, or “Finger lickin’ good”. Catchy, succinct and attention grabbing, sentence fragments are everywhere in advertising.