1. Correcting Sentence Fragments
What is a sentence fragment?
How to fix a sentence fragment
Review A
Review B

2. What is a sentence fragment?
Not all “sentences” are created equal. Look at the following two groups of words:
Fragment
The weeds grew. Because of the rain.
The weeds grew. Because of the rain.
The weeds grew. Because of the rain.
The weeds grew. Because of the rain.
They both begin with a capital letter.
They both end with a period.
BUT
The second does not express a complete thought. It is a sentence fragment.

3. What is a sentence fragment?
A sentence fragment does not have all the basic parts of a complete sentence.
Fragments do not express a complete thought and are missing important information.
No subject
Examples
Reached the campsite early.
No verb
The ground muddy and wet after the storm.
Not a complete thought
Because the tent had a leak in it.

4. What is a sentence fragment? Complete sentence
A complete sentence is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
Subject
Verb
Some species are in danger.
Some species are in danger.
Some species are in danger.
Subject
Verb
Scientists study these animals.
Scientists study these animals.
Scientists study these animals.

5. What is a sentence fragment?
To identify sentence fragments, use a simple test:
1. Does the group of words have a subject?
2. Does it have a verb?
3. Does it express a complete thought?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, you have a fragment.

6. What is a sentence fragment?
Here’s another test to identify sentence fragments.*
Grammar Gal Says...
Plug the word group into the frame “I know that         .”
If the statement makes sense, the word group is a complete sentence. If not, then it is a fragment.
I know that she likes music.
She likes music.
Sentence
I know that playing a guitar.
Playing a guitar.
Fragment
*Source: Linguist Rei Noguchi

7. What is a sentence fragment?
Apply the test to the following group of words:
The bird sat on a high branch.
The bird sat on a high branch.
The bird sat on a high branch.
The bird sat on a high branch.
Sentence
1. Does the group of words have a subject?
Yes
2. Does it have a verb?
Yes
3. Does it express a complete thought?
Yes

8. What is a sentence fragment?
Don’t be fooled by words that look like verbs but really aren’t. A word that ends in -ing cannot stand as a verb unless it has a helping verb (such as is, are, or were) with it.
Grammar Gal Says...
Fragment
The hamster running in his wheel.
Sentence
The hamster is running in his wheel.

9. What is a sentence fragment?
Apply the test to the following group of words:
After the train left the station.
After the train left the station.
After the train left the station.
After the train left the station.
Fragment
1. Does the group of words have a subject?
Yes
Yes
2. Does it have a verb? No
3. Does it express a complete thought?
What happened after the train left the station?

10. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
1. Took our telescope with us.
2. Mr. Yang a perfect clearing on the mountain.
3. We watched the meteor shower from there.
4. Because the sky was clear that night.

11. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
1. Took our telescope with us.
Fragment
Subject: No
Verb:
Yes. Took.
Complete thought: No
The group of words is a fragment because it has no subject and does not express a complete thought.

12. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
2. Mr. Yang a perfect clearing on the mountain.
Fragment
Subject:
Yes. Mr. Yang.
Verb: No
Complete thought: No
The group of words is a fragment because it has no verb and does not express a complete thought.

13. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
3. We watched the meteor shower from there.
Sentence
Subject:
Yes. We.
Verb:
Yes. Watched.
Complete thought:
Yes
The group of words is a sentence because it has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

14. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
4. Because the sky was clear that night.
Fragment
Subject:
Yes. Sky.
Verb:
Yes. Was.
Complete thought: No
The group of words is a fragment. Although it has a subject and a verb, it does not express a complete thought.

15. What is a sentence fragment?
On Your Own
Determine whether each group of words is a fragment or a complete sentence. If the item is a complete sentence, write C. If the item is a fragment, write F. If the item is a fragment, write an S if it’s missing a subject, a V if it’s missing a verb, or an I if it expresses an incomplete thought.
___ 1. Some Asian flying squirrels three feet long.
___ 2. Flying squirrels can glide through the air.
___ 3. Leap from one tree to another.
___ 4. If they start high up in the tree.
[End of Section]

16. What is a sentence fragment?
Answers
Determine whether each group of words is a fragment or a complete sentence. If the item is a complete sentence, write C. If the item is a fragment, write F. If the item is a fragment, write an S if it’s missing a subject, a V if it’s missing a verb, or an I if it expresses an incomplete thought.
___ 1. Some Asian flying squirrels three feet long.
___ 2. Flying squirrels can glide through the air.
___ 3. Leap from one tree to another.
___ 4. If they start high up in the tree.
F-V C
F-S
F-I

17. How to fix a sentence fragment Add a subject
To fix a sentence fragment, first figure out which piece is missing.
If the word group is missing a subject, add a subject to make it into a complete sentence.
Fragment
Complete sentence
Cared for the sick zebra.
The zookeeper
cared for the sick zebra.
No subject. Who cared for the zebra?
Fragment
Complete sentence
Every day fed her a special food.
Every day he
fed her a special food.
No subject. Who fed her?

18. How to fix a sentence fragment Add a verb
If a fragment is missing a verb, add a verb to make it into a complete sentence.
Complete sentence
Fragment
The leaf
The leaf slowly down the stream.
floated
slowly down the stream.
No verb. What did the leaf do slowly?
Complete sentence
Fragment
More leaves
More leaves from the trees soon.
will fall
from the trees soon.
No verb. What will the leaves do soon?

19. How to fix a sentence fragment
Determine what part is missing from each sentence fragment below. If the subject is missing, write S. If the verb is missing, write V. Then change the fragment into a complete sentence by adding the missing part.
___ 1. Play in the yard every day.
___ 2. The rain from the edge of the roof.
___ 3. Waited at the bus stop for an hour.
___ 4. The dog happily the ball.

20. How to fix a sentence fragment
Determine what part is missing from each sentence fragment below. If the subject is missing, write S. If the verb is missing, write V. Then change the fragment into a complete sentence by adding the missing part.
Possible Answer
___ 1. Play in the back yard every day.
___ 1. The squirrels play in the yard every day. S S
The subject is missing. What play in the yard? Add a subject to make a complete sentence.

21. How to fix a sentence fragment
Determine what part is missing from each sentence fragment below. If the subject is missing, write S. If the verb is missing, write V. Then change the fragment into a complete sentence by adding the missing part.
Possible Answer
___ 2. The rain dripped from the edge of the roof. V
___ 2. The rain from the edge of the roof. V
The verb is missing. What did the rain do? Add a verb to make a complete sentence.

22. How to fix a sentence fragment
Determine what part is missing from each sentence fragment below. If the subject is missing, write S. If the verb is missing, write V. Then change the fragment into a complete sentence by adding the missing part.
Possible Answer
___ 3. The family waited at the bus stop for an hour. S
___ 3. Waited at the bus stop for an hour. S
The subject is missing. Who waited? Add a subject to make a complete sentence.

23. How to fix a sentence fragment
Determine what part is missing from each sentence fragment below. If the subject is missing, write S. If the verb is missing, write V. Then change the fragment into a complete sentence by adding the missing part.
Possible Answer
___ 4. The dog happily the ball.
___ 4. The dog happily fetched the ball. V V
The verb is missing. What did the dog do with the ball? Add a verb to make a complete sentence.

24. How to fix a sentence fragment
On Your Own
Determine whether each group of words is a fragment (F) or a complete sentence (C). If the item is a fragment, make it into a complete sentence by adding the missing subject or verb.
___ 1. Wants to send a postcard to her aunt.
___ 2. June is visiting the museum today.
___ 3. Mr. Leonard the field trip carefully.
___ 4. Lucio wants to see the planetarium.

25. How to fix a sentence fragment
Possible Answers
Determine whether each group of words is a fragment (F) or a complete sentence (C). If the item is a fragment, make it into a complete sentence by adding the missing subject or verb.
___ 1. Wants to send a postcard to her aunt.
___ 2. June is visiting the museum today.
___ 3. Mr. Leonard the field trip carefully.
___ 4. Lucio wants to see the planetarium. F
Shana wants to send a postcard to her aunt. C F
Mr. Leonard planned the field trip carefully. C

26. How to fix a sentence fragment Attach the fragment to a complete sentence
Sometimes you can fix a sentence fragment by attaching it to a complete sentence.
Fragment
Complete sentence +
Until the sun went down.
They played football.
Not a complete thought
Complete sentence =
They played football until the sun went down.

27. How to fix a sentence fragment Attach the fragment to a complete sentence
Sometimes you can fix a sentence fragment by attaching it to a complete sentence.
Fragment
Complete sentence +
Before the game began.
We bought some snacks.
Not a complete thought
Complete sentence =
Before the game began, we bought some snacks.

28. How to fix a sentence fragment
Each item contains one fragment and one complete sentence. Label the fragment F and the complete sentence C. Then combine the two to make one complete sentence.
1. ___ If you receive a gift. ___ You should send a thank-you note.
2. ___ My father is energetic. ___ Because he eats healthful foods.
3. ___ Before I brought the puppy home. ___ I bought a dog bed and some food.

29. How to fix a sentence fragment
Each item contains one fragment and one complete sentence. Label the fragment F and the complete sentence C. Then combine the two to make one complete sentence.
1. ___ If you receive a gift. ___ You should send a thank-you note. F C
If you receive a gift, you should send a thank-you note. OR
You should send a thank-you note if you receive a gift.

30. How to fix a sentence fragment
Each item contains one fragment and one complete sentence. Label the fragment F and the complete sentence C. Then combine the two to make one complete sentence.
2. ___ My father is energetic. ___ Because he eats healthful foods. C F
My father is energetic because he eats healthful foods. OR
Because he eats healthful foods, my father is energetic.

31. How to fix a sentence fragment
Each item contains one fragment and one complete sentence. Label the fragment F and the complete sentence C. Then combine the two to make one complete sentence.
3. ___ Before I brought the puppy home. ___ I bought a dog bed and some food. F C
Before I brought the puppy home, I bought a dog bed and some food. OR
I bought a dog bed and some food before I brought the puppy home.

32. How to fix a sentence fragment
On Your Own
Identify the sentence fragments in the following paragraph. Then fix each fragment by attaching it to a complete sentence. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
The weather cleared. While we were driving to the campground. We traveled for hours. When we arrived at our campsite. Mom and I set up the tent. My sister hiked to the river with her friend. As the sun set. We cooked bean soup over the fire.
[End of Section]

33. How to fix a sentence fragment
Possible Answer
Identify the sentence fragments in the following paragraph. Then fix each fragment by attaching it to a complete sentence. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
The weather cleared. While we were driving to the campground. We traveled for hours. When we arrived at our campsite. Mom and I set up the tent. My sister hiked to the river with her friend. As the sun set. We cooked bean soup over the fire.
The weather cleared while we were driving to the campground. We traveled for hours. When we arrived at our campsite, Mom and I set up the tent. My sister hiked to the river with her friend. As the sun set, we cooked bean soup over the fire.

34. Review A
Identify each word group as a sentence fragment (F) or a complete sentence (C).
___ 1. Jenna the back door open.
___ 2. The geese fly south in winter.
___ 3. Walks the dog after dinner each evening.
___ 4. Someone broke the lock.
___ 5. Because the ground freezes at night.
[End of Section]

35. Review A
Identify each word group as a sentence fragment (F) or a complete sentence (C). F
___ 1. Jenna the back door open. C
___ 2. The geese fly south in winter.
___ 3. Walks the dog after dinner each evening. F C
___ 4. Someone broke the lock.
___ 5. Because the ground freezes at night. F

36. Review B
Revise each fragment in the following paragraph by (1) adding a subject, (2) adding a verb, or (3) attaching the fragment to a complete sentence. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
My friends and I for a hike in the mountains. Put some food, water, and first aid supplies in our packs. Then drove us to the trailhead. Before we had hiked very far. My parents were reminding us to stay nearby. They good hikers themselves. When we arrived at the overlook. Mom spread out a small picnic for us.
[End of Section]

37. Review B
Possible Answers
Revise each fragment in the following paragraph by (1) adding a subject, (2) adding a verb, or (3) attaching the fragment to a complete sentence. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
My friends and I went for a hike in the mountains. We put some food, water, and first aid supplies in our packs. Then my parents drove us to the trailhead. Before we had hiked very far, my parents were reminding us to stay nearby. They are good hikers themselves. When we arrived at the overlook, Mom spread out a small picnic for us.

38. The End