top of page
Writer's picturemichael0585

Get Great Grammar: Part 3: Explanatory Fragments

Updated: Mar 7


Explanatory fragments and how to correct them.
fix your fragmented sentences


Introduction - Get great grammar



So far, in this series of articles, you have learned about:


  • sentence and phrase fragments.

  • fragments that begin with ‘-ing’ words/gerunds and ‘to’.



In this article, I will teach you to recognise and correct explanatory fragments.



Explanatory Fragments


So, what is an explanatory fragment? It has something to do with explaining something, right?


Yes, an explanatory fragment provides an explanation about a previous sentence.


An explanatory fragment is missing: a subject, a complete verb, or both.



This kind of fragment begins with one of the following words or phrases.


For example …


Also …


For instance …


As well as …


Especially …


Such as …


Particularly … (or ‘In particular’)


Including …


Like … (or ‘Just like’)


Except … (or ‘all except’)



Examples


Here are some examples of explanatory fragments, which are underlined.


Fragment:


Scientists say lowering emissions of gases can reverse climate change. For example, carbon dioxide.


Fragment:


“You could describe your nouns with adjectives. Such as ‘beautiful’ or ‘lovely’.



Correcting Explanatory Fragments


To correct explanatory fragments:


  • add the missing words

  • join the explanation or example to the previous, or another sentence

By adding words:

Scientists say lowering emissions of gases can reverse climate change. A transition to electric vehicles could reduce carbon dioxide emitted from car exhausts.

By joining sentences:

“You could describe your nouns with adjectives such as ‘beautiful’ or ‘lovely’.”



Your turn:


Fix these explanatory fragments.


I like going to the zoo to see the animals. Such as lions and tigers and the elephants.


Everyone played the game. Except John.


Susan enjoys reading. Also going to the movies and riding her skateboard.




Conclusion


In this short article, I have explained explanatory fragments.


It's the third kind of fragment you need to recognise and correct to get great English grammar.


In the next, and final article on this topic, I will teach you about Dependent Clause Fragments.




Further Reading


To help you get great grammar, You can read more articles on grammar here.


Having good grammar should be an essential skill to getting good English. Read this article to learn why having good grammar is very important.





© Apex English Tutoring Jan 2021 - Updated January 2024




man in striped long-sleeved shirt talking on a phone.

About Me


Hello and welcome!


My name is Michael Finemore and I am the owner-operator of Apex English Tutoring.


As an experienced English Teacher, I'm passionate about helping people turn their 'poor' English into great English, with easy and effective ways to practice.






If you liked this article tell your 'tribe' about it.  Click any of the 'socials' below to share it.


Let's connect!

73 views0 comments

Comentarios


bottom of page