LanguageTeach

Missing Subject Fragments	Notes
1. Took me three years It took me 3 years to complete my secretarial course, which I wasn’t happy about at all.	ESL writers often omit the filler subject it. We use this subject, which has no real meaning, to hold the place of the subject when we make statements about time, distance, money, and weather. Examples: It took me a long time to complete my education. It takes six hours to drive to Los Angeles from San Jose. It's about 500 miles from here. It's expensive to fill up your gas tank these days. It's warm today. It's, of course, is the contraction for It is.
2. Is our responsibility It is our responsibility as American citizens to require congress to make laws which will help more and more people get a degree.	When a sentence starts with a verb (unless it's a yes/no question), you know you have a missing subject fragment. This is one more example of omission of the filler subject it.
3. I was so excited that almost made that I almost made plane reservations.	Every clause must have a subject and a verb. In this example, the dependent clause (result clause) does not have a subject. Therefore, it's a fragment.
4. When I told my brother that was his turn that it was his turn to pay me back and help me with my college expenses, he got married and said he couldn’t do that.	In this example the direct object of the verb *told* is a noun clause beginning with the subordinator that, which is not the subject of the noun clause. The filler subject it has been omitted, making the dependent noun clause a fragment.
5. Drugs are not good for anybody, and is important it is important that you know that when you are 15.	Once again, the filler subject it has been omitted. This subject is always used when the verb be is followed by an adjective. Examples: It is important that... It is difficult to (do something). It is necessary to... It is true that... Note that a noun clause or an infinitive phrase follows the adjective .
6. Finally, in my country didn't allowcountry, the government didn't allow residents to go out at night, but in the U.S. we have the right to go out whenever we want.	Fragments often occur when the writer reads the object of a preposition as the subject of a verb. Objects can never be subjects. In this example, the word country is the object of the preposition in. The writer must provide a subject for the verb, didn't allow. Revision: In my country, the government didn't allow residents to go out at night.
7. My friend used to go into the bathroom and throw up the food she had eaten. We did not notice that until one day in my house had a barbecue.we had a barbecue at my house.	In my house is a prepositional phrase, so house is the object of the preposition and, therefore, cannot be the subject of the verb had. The writer needs to add a subject. Notes for revision: There are two errors with the adverbial phrase, in my house. One does not barbecue in a house. The word order is also incorrect. Adverbial modifiers go at the end of the sentence. We did not notice that until one day we had a barbecue at my house.
8. Does the AESOP system or the da Vinci surgical system more closely resemble conventional surgery? I think that is more closely resemblethat the AESOP system more closely resembles conventional surgery because the only advantage is that leavesthat it leaves the doctor's hands free to continue operating on the patient.	In two places, the writer incorrectly uses the noun clause subordinator "that" as the subject. The subject is in the writer's head, but it must appear within the sentence. In the first instance, the subject is the AESOP system. In the second instance, the subject is the pronoun it. Please note that this pronoun is not a filler subject, which basically has no meaning. This pronoun it refers back to the noun AESOP system.
Missing Verb Fragments	Notes
1. My husband's and my jobs almost like My husband's and my jobs are almost like a choice between a fish and a bear’s paw.	Almost is not a verb; it's an adverb. The writer needs the linking verb are, which agrees with jobs. The writer is clearly using an idiom from his or her own language and will need to explain it. Perhaps an equivalent idiom in English is to be caught between a rock and a hard place, which means that a person is facing a dilemma, or a situation requiring a choice between two difficult alternatives.
2. Of course some times I feel that I did a wrong decision made the wrong decision to give up my love life because of my family, but when I compare it with the happiness that I see in my family, I can say it worth it.it was worth it.	Worth is not a verb; it's an adjective. The expression to be worth it is idiomatic. .
3. My master had to hide in the countryside in civilian clothes. I and some other individuals, who became Buddhist monks and nuns, in his difficult state.supported him in his difficult state.	The second sentence doesn't make sense without a predicate [verb and rest of sentence]. The writer must ask, "What did I and other individuals do?" The answer to the question will provide the verb that gives meaning to the sentence.
4. This chapter remind reminded me of a true story back home. A nice decent guy againstconfronted a corrupt policeman.	Against is a preposition followed by its object "a corrupt policeman." It can never function as a verb. The writer could correct the sentence in two ways: • Use the linking verb "be" [was against a corrupt policeman. • Use a different verb. Some additional possibilities are: opposed a corrupt policeman exposed the crime of a corrupt policeman stood up to a crooked cop. Note also the verb error. To correct it, the writer could change the tense: the story reminded me of... or make the verb agree with the subject: the story reminds me of...
5. My The most important decision that I have made ever made . It is was when I had to decide if I was going to stay in Mexico or come to the United States.	The subject of the main clause is "decision." There is no verb for this subject. The writer must omit the period and the repeated subject "It," add the missing sentence element, the verb, and use the correct tense. Note: It would improve the sentence to make the verb in the adjective clause, that I have made consistent with the verb in the main clause...that I ever made was... Revision: The most important decision that I ever made was when I had to decide whether to stay in Mexico or to come to the United States. Note that the conditional word whether is used with parallel infinitives.
6. My friend who graduated from Denmark high school. He wanted wanted to attend in community college to take full time classes so that he can pursue could pursue his AA degree.	The subject of the main clause is my friend, which is followed by an adjective clause and a period. The predicate [verb and rest of sentence] for the main clause is, therefore, cut off from the main clause. Omit the period and the repeated subject He to attach the predicate to the main clause. Notes: Attend is not a phrasal verb. It should not be followed by a preposition. The verb can pursue is not consistent in tense with the other verbs. It must be past tense.
Dependent Clause Fragments	Notes
1. Because I have had the responsibility at the moment I gave birth to him.	The sentence begins with a dependent clause marker, because, making the sentence a subordinate (dependent) clause. It needs to be attached to the sentence preceding or following it, depending on the writer's text and meaning. Note the inconsistent verb tense as well.
2. Finally I decide decided to study sociology. Because because I love to work with kids who needs need somebody to protect them.	Because is a dependent clause marker. Attach the dependent clause to the main clause to fix the fragment. Note: The sentence also has a verb tense and a SV agreement error.
3. Even though I didn’t know what do I want to be I wanted to be . I looking forward, I was looking forward to go going to college.	Even though I didn't know what I wanted to be is a dependent clause. Attach it to the main clause by omitting the period and using a comma to set off the introductory dependent clause. Note also the word order error in the noun clause, what do I want to be, which must be changed to sentence order, what I wanted to be, with the tense consistent with the first verb (didn't know). Also, the main clause was a missing verb fragment because it lacked a finite verb form. Note also the gerund form after the preposition to in the phrasal verb, was looking forward to going to college.
4. Third, we had to hide in bushes. When when policies the police searched a house, when or when a dog barked far away.	When is a dependent time clause marker. Adverbial time clauses must be attached to the main clause. Note that the writer used two time clauses. Join these clauses with a conjunction: ...when the police searched a house or when a dog barked far way. The clauses are now parallel. No comma is necessary between two parallel elements. Note: The correct forms for law enforcement officers are a policeman, policemen, or the police, which is always plural.
5. Since I don't have a college degree or a professional career. I, I need to work at two different restaurants six days a week.	In this sentence, the first clause is a dependent clause. When the dependent clause comes first, it must be separated from the main clause with a comma. Never use a period after an introductory dependent clause. NOTE THE PUNCTUATION. WHEN IS A COMMA USED? DEPENDENT CLAUSE , INDEPENDENT CLAUSE . INDEPENDENT CLAUSE DEPENDENT CLAUSE .
6. Writing is so important for every student. Who who wants to succeed in learning	"Who wants to succeed in learning" is an adjective clause. Attach the dependent adjective clause to the sentence by removing the period. There is no comma because the clause is restrictive; it gives information that is essential for understanding the sentence.
Phrase Fragments	Notes
1. After following my belief. I will feel happy, I will feel happy even if I sacrifice ~~myself~~ a lot (for ???).	After following my belief is an adverbial phrase. A phrase has no subject or verb. It cannot be a sentence. It must be attached to the sentence. A comma can follow an introductory phrase. Notes: Myself should be omitted. The writer should indicate that he sacrifices for something. Revision: After following my belief, I will feel happy even if I have to sacrifice a lot for an education. Or...for my family.
2. Yes, I give up gave up an opportunity to become successful because I had to help my brothers in Mexico. Instead of becoming somebody in this life. instead of becoming somebody in this life.	Instead of is a preposition followed by a gerund object, becoming...Attach the prepositional phrase to the main clause by omitting the period and using lower case "i" for instead of. Note: There is also a verb tense error. The writer should use consistent verb tense.
3. When I was 15 years old, I had a bad experience with drugs. To be more espesific specific with mariguana marijuana.-- to be more specific, with marijuana.	To be more specific, with marijuana is an infinitive phrase. There is no subject or verb. To fix the fragment, the writer should attach the infinitive phrase to the sentence by using a dash. Revision: When I was 15 years old, I had a bad experience with drugs--to be more specific, with marijuana. OR to put it more simply: When I was 15 years old, I had a bad experience with marijuana.
4. The communists arrested all of the Buddhism Buddhist leaders in 1982. Like the most venerable Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do., like the most venerable Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do.	Like is a preposition that introduces the examples, Thich Huyen Quang and Thich Quang Do. A prepositional phrase must be attached to a sentence. It can never stand alone. Note: The writer also used an incorrect word form to modify leaders. Buddhist is the adjective form.
5. Living on my own during my senior year in high school taught me many important things. For example, humility toward other people, respect for myself, and love for my family who were very far away., for example, humility toward other people, respect for myself, and appreciation for my family who were very far away.	For example is a transition and here it is followed by a series of noun phrases. The string must be attached to the sentence to avoid the fragment. Note: The word *appreciation* would be a better word choice than the word love for this string of examples.
6. There are famous colleges and universities in the San Jose area. Such as Stanford, U.C. Berkley, and Santa Clara University., such as Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, and Santa Clara University.	Such as is also a preposition that introduces examples. When using the prepositions such as and like, or the transition for example followed by nouns, attach the example phrase to the main clause.