AT A GLANCE
A group of words must meet three criteria to form a complete sentence. If it does not meet all three, it is a fragment. Revise a fragment by combining it with a nearby sentence or by rewriting it as a complete sentence.
1. A sentence must have a subject. (31j)
2. A sentence must have a verb, not just a verbal. A verbal cannot function as a sentence’s verb without an auxiliary verb. (31k and l)
| VERB | The terrier is barking. |
| VERBAL | The terrier barking. |
3. Unless it is a question, a sentence must have at least one clause that does not begin with a subordinating word. (31h) Following are some common subordinating words:
| although | if | when |
| as | since | where |
| because | that | whether |
| before | though | which |
| how | unless | who |