State the difference between a clause and a fragment.?

Question

This is totally confusing me. I'm talking about a dependent clause btw. i know that all clauses are fragments but not all fragments are clauses.. how must I differentiate? Or what are the tips and hints in differentiating one. I also know the definition of a clause and a fragment. The only thing is I can't tell between the 2. I can only tell those that are obvious.

Answer 1

A sentence fragment will contain only one part... either the subject or the verb... of a complete sentence.

Example: The annoying clown

A dependent clause will contain both a noun and a verb but will remain dependent on the independent clause. In other words, when you read it, it will not contain an entire thought.

Example: Although she went,

Therefore, to find out if a fragment is a clause, you should look for a subject and a verb that do not make a complete thought.

A sentence fragment will contain only one part... either the subject or the verb... of a complete sentence. When one is supplied, however, it will become an independent complete sentence... it will not depend on anything else.

Example: The annoying clown
(This fragment is missing the verb. If you rewrite it with a verb, it will become a complete sentence.)

Example: The annoying clown cried. (now a complete sentence)

A dependent clause will contain both a noun and a verb but will remain dependent on the independent clause. In other words, when you read it, it will not contain an entire thought... it will usually leave you asking some question: like who? or what happened?

Example: Although she went,
(Notice that this clause left the reader wondering what happened. Therefore, it depends on the independent clause to make sense.)

Example: Although she went to the store, she didn't buy anything .

Although she went to the store, (contains both a subject and a verb--she went)

she didn't buy anything. (also contains both a subject and a verb--she did buy)

However, one is a complete sentence that has a complete thought, and the other one does not... it is dependent.

Therefore, to find out if a fragment is a clause, you should look for a subject and a verb that do not make a complete thought... a fragment will not contain both a subject and a verb.

The following link has some good examples of both types of phrases.
http://ace.acadiau.ca/english/grammar/fragment.htm

Answer 2

A clause is a segment of a sentence which must contain a verb.
e.g : A review, CARRIED OUT BY THE COMMISSIONER, found the officers were badgered." The capitalised section is a clause.

A fragment would be an incomplete part of this story, such as:
".A review. carried out by the commissioner, found..........". So, a fragment quite often does not make sense in its own rite.