a dependent clause may look like an independent clause because it contains a subject and a verb, but a dependent clause does not express a complete thought. a sentence fragment occurs when a dependent clause is punctuated as a simple sentence. to fix the fragment, you can remove the subordinating conjunction, or you can add a comma and an independent clause to form a complete thought. common subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while. checkpoint identify the complete sentence.