Analysis of Fragments, Comma-Splices
and Run-ons
Frag #11 -- Other: This may be an afterthought,
but it is more likely that the student was stumped by how to handle the
sentence structure. The preceding sentence ends with a prepositional phrase
that lists meal times. The writer may have wanted to add "in swimming,"
but sensed a difference in type of category. The probable repetition of
"and" may have thrown him: "But we got to be together
in Breakfast, lunch and dinner, and also
in swimming and [sic] all groups
get together." This explanation gains further support from the "and" which
appears where there should have been a "when." The "and" problem, in other
words, may have been floating around in the writer's STM.
Frag #12 -- Subordination: ". .
. and everyone had to take music class, because no one wanted to take it."
Personally, I prefer this as a fragment. Its being cut off from the main
clause not only emphasizes the difference between "everyone" and "no one,"
but it also emphasizes the logic of the "because" clause. Do I perceive
some subtle questioning of the camp leaders' reasoning here?
Frag #13 -- Acceptable: Although
it could be joined to the preceding clause with a comma or a dash, I don't
see any problem with this as a fragment. I doubt that anyone would have
any problem understanding it.
Frag #14 -- Subordination:
"My room was not neat, because hardly anyone usually
got up that early in the morning." Although I have put this in the subordination
group, I have no trouble with it as a fragment. To me, the full stop of
the period and the fragment fit with the conversational tone of the writing
and also suggest a slight reluctance to admit that they all preferred sleeping
to getting up early to clean the room.
Frag #15 -- Afterthought: My guess is
that the writer had the "excuses" in the preceding clause all in STM at
once: "And then you had to take a shower and get dressed and then wash
your face and brush
your tooth." [I hope someone pointed out to the student the humor implicit
in "tooth."] Having written these down, and closed with a period, the student
may have felt that, as excuses, they were not sufficient, but he could
not think of any more. To suggest, however, that more exist, he added the
fragment. |