Fragments That Start with -ing Verb Forms
An -ing verb form (also called a gerund) is the form of a verb that ends in -ing: walking, writing, swimming. Unless it has a helping verb (was walking, was writing, was swimming), it is not a complete verb in a sentence. Sometimes an -ing verb form is used as a subject at the beginning of a complete sentence.
-ING FORM USED AS A SUBJECT
Swimming is a wonderful form of exercise. [In this sentence, swimming is the subject and is is the verb.]
-ING FORM USED WITH A HELPING VERB AS A VERB
I am working full-
Whenever a word group begins with a word in -ing form, look carefully to see if the word group contains a subject and a verb and if it expresses a complete thought.
| FRAGMENT | Snoring so loudly I couldn’t sleep. [If snoring is the main verb, what is the subject? There isn’t one. Is there a helping verb used with snoring? No. It is a fragment.] |
Correct a fragment that starts with an -ing verb form either by adding whatever sentence elements are missing (usually a subject and a helping verb) or by connecting the fragment to the sentence before or after it. Usually, you will need to put a comma before or after the fragment to join it to the complete sentence.
| -ING FRAGMENT | Working two jobs and going to school. I am tired all the time. |
| CORRECTED | 
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| CORRECTED | 
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