Final answer:
Sentence fragments can be unintentional errors lacking essential sentence elements, or they can be used intentionally for stylistic purposes in writing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unintentional sentence fragments are incomplete sentences that lack a subject, verb, or both, or they might be subordinate clauses incorrectly punctuated as full sentences. To correct these errors, one can either connect the fragment to the adjoining complete sentence or rewrite the fragment as a whole sentence. Intentional sentence fragments, on the other hand, are used purposefully to create a certain effect in the writing, such as prompting quick reading or conveying fragmented stories. These fragments can be functional and powerful, especially in creative writing, where they invite the reader to participate actively in filling in meaning.
It's important to recognize when fragments impair readability and when they enhance the narrative. Key to using sentence fragments effectively is clarity of purpose and ensuring that the reader does not mistake them for grammatical errors. Whether you are writing academic papers or engaging in creative writing, knowing how to manage sentence fragments can impact the pace and the expressivity of your writing. Correcting fragments usually involves attaching them to a complete sentence or rewriting them, while intentional use requires clear purpose to avoid confusion.