Get Great Grammar: Part 3: Explanatory Fragments
- michael0585
- Jan 4, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 7, 2024
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
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.
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