Learning Goals:
This exercise will help you distinguish fragments from complete sentences. To get the most of this practice, click on the links to review some basic information about required components of a sentence and common types of fragments.
Directions:
1. Using Principle 1, identify each group of words below as a sentence or a fragment.
2. If it is a fragment, identify the problem such as missing subject, incomplete verb, phrase only, or dependent clause only.
3. When finished, hover over the sentence to check your answers.
Adapted from: “Digital shadow: How companies track you online”
Source: The Week Magazine
1. This morning, if you opened your browser and went toNYTimes.com.
2. When the news about North Korea or James Murdoch appeared on your screen.
3. An amazing thing was happening in the milliseconds.
5. Data from this single visit was sent to 10 different companies.
7. Nearly instantaneously, can log your visit and place ads tailored for your eyes specifically.
8. There nothing necessarily sinister about this subterranean data exchange.
9. This, after all, is the advertising ecosystem.
10.That supports free online content.
11. All the data is letting advertisers fine-tune their ads.
12. If the rest of the information logging lets them measure how well things are actually working.
13. I do not mean to pick on The New York Times.
14. While visiting The Huffington Post or The Atlantic or Business Insider.
15. The same process happening to a greater or lesser degree.
16. Because every move you make on the Internet is worth some tiny amount to someone.
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that this morning, if you opened your browser and went toNYTimes.com?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that when the news about North Korea or James Murdoch appeared on your screen?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
Is it true that an amazing thing was happening in the milliseconds?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that which is hard to believe?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
Is it true that data from this single visit was sent to 10 different companies?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence
problem phrase only (no S+V)
Is it true that including Microsoft and Google subsidiaries, a gaggle of traffic-logging sites, and other, smaller ad firms?
The question doesn’t make sense because it’s not clear WHO or WHAT it is talking about; it is a sentence fragmen
problem missing subject
Is it true that nearly instantaneously, can log your visit and place ads tailored for your eyes specifically?
The question doesn’t make sense because it’s not clear WHO or WHAT it is talking about; it is a sentence fragmen
problem missing verb
Is it true that there nothing necessarily sinister about this subterranean data exchange?
There is no verb to link the subject “nothing” and its compliment “sinister”; it is a sentence fragmen
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that this, after all, is the advertising ecosystem?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that which supports free online content?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
Is it true that all the data is letting advertisers fine-tune their ads?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that if the rest of the information logging lets them measure how well things are actually working?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
Is it true that I do not mean to pick on The New York Time?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that while visiting The Huffington Post or The Atlantic or Business Insider?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
problem missing verb
Is it true that the same process happening to a greater or lesser degree?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
problem dependent clause only
Is it true that because every move you make on the Internet is worth some tiny amount to someone?
The question doesn’t make sense; it is a sentence fragmen
Is it true that a panoply of companies want to make sure that no step along your Internet journey goes unmonytize?
The question makes sense; it is a sentence