Glossary

fragment	a word group that lacks a subject or a verb and/or one that does not express a complete thought; (e.g., Whenever I go to school. ["Whenever," a dependent word, cannot introduce a complete thought, so it cannot stand alone])



helping verbs	1. three common verbs that can either stand alone or be combined with (i.e. "help") other verbs: be, have, and do; (e.g., I was angry ["was" stands alone]; I was helping Sue ["was" acts as a helping verb]). 2. nine verbs (also known as modals or modal auxiliaries) that are always used in combination with other verbs: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must

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