ShmoopTube

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Here's an unshmoopy question you'll find on the exam...

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Fix this sentence: I couldn't go skateboarding. Because I broke my leg.

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And here are the potential answers:

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So... what is this question asking?

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Well, it's really about what makes a complete sentence.

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On its own, "I couldn't go skateboarding" is a full and complete sentence, albeit kind

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of a boring one.

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It's the "because I broke my leg" part that makes this question interesting.

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That phrase is... just a phrase -- it's not a sentence.

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Technically it is a DEPEDNENT clause -- it depends on an INDEPENDENT clause to make it stand alone.

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So...it needs some help and has to be conjoined to the first part so it's not a grammatical wipeout.

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If we go through the potential answers, A and B don't work because they're using

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a semi colon and a colon as a full stop and that' doesn't work here...

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...the fragment has to be joined with the subject and verb -- that is, kill the comma,

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kill the period and just let the words flow.

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So the answer is C.

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As in, "Cuts and scrapes."

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