Transcript Travelling to outer space is possible now but not many can afford it.

Fragments
Sentence Structures



Simple sentence
Compound sentence
Complex sentence
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Simple Sentence

One main independent clause
Travelling to outer space is possible now.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Compound Sentence

Independent Clause1 + Coordinator +
Independent Clause2 (at least 2
independent clauses)
Travelling to outer space is possible now but not
many can afford it.
Identify the independent
clauses and the coordinator
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Compound Sentence

Independent Clause1 + Coordinator +
Independent Clause2
Travelling to outer space is possible now but not
many can afford it.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Complex Sentence

1 Independent Clause + 1 or > Subordinated
Clause (in any order)
Many people used to dream of travelling to outer
space in the past when it was technologically
impossible.
When it was technologically impossible, many
people used to dream of travelling to outer space in
the past.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments
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
A fragment is not a complete grammatical
sentence.
A complete sentence needs a subject in
each independent and dependent clause.
Although engineering feats have propelled mankind
forward, they may also have caused a huge divide
between the developed and the developing countries.
* fragment
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

An it subject cannot be omitted from a
clause.
*Meteorologists currently find difficulty in
predicting the weather because has been
affected by global warming.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

An it subject cannot be omitted from a
clause.
Meteorologists currently find difficulty in
predicting the weather because it has been
affected by global warming. 
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

A clause needs a complete verb, with its
auxilaries if any. Otherwise, it is a fragment.
*The technicians been working on the project since
last year.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

A clause needs a complete verb, with its
auxilaries if any.
The technicians have been working on the project
since last year. 
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

A phrase (without a subject or a verb) is a
fragment.
The deadline for this project is drawing near. *To
extend it.
The deadline for this project is drawing near but we
hope to extend it. 
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

A dependent clause always needs an
independent clause to be a complete
sentence.
*While it appeared to be medically impossible to save the
terminally ill. Stem cells seem to be a possible cure for
some cancers.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Fragments

A dependent clause always needs an
independent clause to be a complete
sentence.
*While it appeared to be medically impossible to save the
terminally ill, stem cells seem to be a possible cure for
some cancers.
eg1471/jc/dec2008
Sources
Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An
Editing Guide (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle and Heinle
Publishers, 131-140.
Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic
English (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, 183
-188.
Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide for
Student Writers (3rd ed.). New York: Cambridge
University Press, 19-25.
eg1471/jc/dec2008