When a sentence is unfinished, either because it is missing a subject or verb, or because it lacks the information needed to express the thought, it is a sentence fragment. A sentence fragment is a group of words which is punctuated like a sentence, but is lacking one or more of the three components of a complete sentence. By itself, a participle phrase cannot be a sentence. Runon sentences combine thoughts without the proper punctuation or joining words. A sentence fragment is a part, or piece, of a sentence placed by itself as if it were a complete sentence. Fragments usually begin with a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun. Although we frequently use fragments in spoken language, they are frowned upon in written language. While it may be punctuated to look like a complete sentence, a fragment cannot stand on its own. Fitting to their name, runon sentences are instances where two or more independent clauses are joined together without the appropriate punctuation. To be complete, a sentence must contain a subject, a predicate or complete verb, and function as an independent clause.
An independent clause is a sentence that can stand alone because it has a subject and a verb and conveys a complete thought. If the group of words is a complete sentence, write s. If one of these three items is missing, its a fragment. A sentence fragment is a piece of information that is punctuated as a sentence but that lacks some of the characteristics of a complete sentence. This is why, the pdf books that we presented always the books considering incredible reasons. If the group of words is a fragment, write an f on the line. This sheet was created for students to practice reading groups of words and deciding if they are a sentence or a fragment. My friend shelia and i saw a brown toad hopping on the sidewalk. Sentence fragments are groups of words that dont express complete thoughts. A sentence fragment is a type of incomplete sentence that lacks the necessary grammatical elements to make an independent clause. A sentence fragment is a group of words that is punctuated as a sentence but that cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Rules for finding and fixing sentence fragments grammar bytes. Sentence fragments a sentence fragment is a piece of information that is punctuated as a sentence but that lacks some of the characteristics of a complete sentence. Directions determine which of the following word groups are sentence fragments and which are complete sentences. A fragment may be missing a subject, verb, or both. The sat will give you sentence fragments so long that by the time youve read to the end of them, youll have forgotten where you started. In these worksheets, students identify sentence fragments and runon sentences. Its an incomplete sentence, one thats missing a subject or a verb. Put simply, a sentence fragment is a clause that falls short of true sentencehood because it is missing one of three critical components. This study packet is designed for students who want to improve their scores on the nhc grammar proficiency exam or to improve their grammar skills. Sentence fragments, on the other hand, arent complete sentences and dont express complete thoughts. They should see the clothes people wore in the middle ages. Incomplete sentence that readers understand to be complete some fragments missing subject, verb or both have subject and verb, but are dependent clauses example. Fragments are simply grammatically incomplete sentences they are phrases and dependent clauses.
Displaying all worksheets related to sentence or fragment 1. Runon sentences and sentence fragments are opposites of each other. If the word group is a sentence fragment, write f for fragment. A sentence needs to form a complete thought and have both a complete subject and a complete verb. The sentences below appeared in papers written by students. In these grammar worksheets students have to indicate if each group of words is a full sentence or a fragment. You can enter your answers directly into this document. Missing verb since the student came to motlow to learn. If the group of words is already a complete sentence, write correct on the lines provided. Before you include an intentional fragment in a piece of writing, you should ask your teachers if they will mind. A fragment occurs when one or more of the key elements of a sentence is missing.
A sentence fragment is anything punctuated like a sentence that is not a true independent clause. This activity pack contains several resources that allow students to become familiar with the difference between sentences and fragments. The worksheet includes a reminder description at the top of sentences and fragments and how to tell the difference, with examples. An incomplete group of words punctuated as if it were a sentence is called a sentence fragment or a fragmentary sentence. We talk about sentence fragments in contrast to complete sentences. Sentence patterns simple, compound, complex sentence structure fragments, runons, comma splices. Sentences and sentence fragments a sentence expresses a complete thought or idea and contains a subject and a predicate a verb. A fragment or a sentence fragment is a group of words which is used as a sentence, but it does not express a complete thought. Though sentence fragments can be used in genres like creative writing and advertising for emphasis or stylistic purposes, in formal academic. Sentence fragments are usually missing one or more of these elements. A fragment lacks either a subject, a predicate, or does not communicate a complete thought. Fragments in the spaces provided, write c if the sentence is correct or frag if the group of words is a fragment.
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence because it lacks a subject, lacks a verb, or is a dependent clause. Grammar proficiency study packet what does this packet. Sentence fragments occur when the writer does not observe conventional boundaries between sentences. A sentence that does not have both a subject and a verb is a fragment. Read free identifying sentences fragments answers identifying sentences fragments answers recognizing fragments syntax khan academy a sentence fragment is a chunk of language. More words will follow to finish the phrase, but nowhere will you find a main clause to complete the thought. Sentence fragments occur when a sentence lacks a subject andor complete verb, or consists entirely of a subordinate clause. A sentence must contain at least one independent clause.
On its own, its an incomplete sentence, and so its sometimes called a fragment sentence. These are grammatical structures that cannot stand on their own. Below see some sentence fragment examples and possible corrections, plus examples of how powerful an intentional use of fragments can be. A fragment is a part of a sentence, but cant be a sentence on its own. Sentences and sentence fragments a a sentence is a word or word group that contains a subject and a verb and that expresses a complete thought. Sentence or fragment worksheet teachers pay teachers. A sentence fragment usually has either the subject, or the predicate, or both the subject and predicate missing. An incomplete sentence is called a sentence fragment. A fragment is an incomplete sentence punctuated as though a complete sentence. We often fail to recognize our sentence fragments because our incomplete thoughts can easily masquerade as sentences.
They are fine to use in conversation or in informal writing, but they are a nono when it comes to formal writing. The subject identifies who or what is performing an action and the verb identifies the action being performed. Asentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence but that does not contain both a subject and a verb or does not express a complete thought. A sentence fragment is a piece or part of a sentence. The fragments appearing most frequently are either phrases or dependent clauses. Sentence fragments are usually missing a subject or verb, or they do not express a complete thought. Another name for a sentence is an independent clause. A sentence fragment is a word group that is incorrectly punctuated as if it were a complete sentence, beginning with an initial capital letter and ending with a period or other end punctuation. Sentence or fragment 1 worksheets lesson worksheets. A sentence has to include a subject and a verb and express a complete thought. No subject usually, in order to express a thought completely, a sentence must contain a subject and a verb. In other words, it is only part of a sentence, not a complete one. This fragment can be fixed by adding an independent clause.
A sentence fragment lacks an essential element that completes a sentence such as a subject or verb or does not express a complete thought. We talked about phrases and clauses a bit in basic parts of a sentence. If the subject youis understood, write youin parentheses at the end of the item. It begins with the words which, because, although, before, while. For a group of words to be a complete sentence, it must have an independent clause with a subject and a verb. If the word group is a sentence, underline the subject once and the verb twice, and write s for sentence on the line provided. Sentence fragments do not express a complete thought.
Most of the time, a fragment is the result of a misplaced period that separates certain words or information from a sentence s main clause. Act as their editor, marking a c if the sentences in the group are all complete and an f if any of the sentences in the group is a fragment. Independent clauses are basically regular sentences. Difference between fragment and sentence learn english. An independent clause is a complete sentence and can stand on its own. Fragments many young writers still struggle with the concept of a complete sentence. Worksheets are fragments sentences, exercise 1 practice a work 1 identifying sentence, sentence fragments, work 1 sentence fragments 7 exercises, grammar work sentence fragments, sentences and sentence fragments, sentence fragments exercise 2, fragments and sentences. A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence, but actually isnt a complete sentence. A sentence expresses a complete thought or idea and contains a subject and a predicate a verb. On the other hand, a complete sentence contains a subject, verb, and expresses a complete thought. Like an engine, the main clause powers a complete sentence, propelling the reader through the development of an idea.
There are four sentence errors that can produce fragments. Complete sentences a sentence must contain both a subject and a verb. Run on sentences and fragment activities the classroom. Exercise 1 practice a, worksheet 1 identifying sentence. A sentence fragment can be very confusing for the reader, so usually, the best thing to do is to fix it by adding what is missing from the sentence or joining it to another sentence. The director is looking for talented, hardworking performers. A sentence fragment lacks either a subject or a verb, or is simply not a complete thought because it begins with a word like if or when which makes it dependent on another sentence. Full sentences and sentences fragments worksheet k5 learning. If the group of words is a complete sentence, write the letter s on the line. Wouldnt it be better for the kids if the mother stayed at home.
Likewise, a sentence fragment is a just a piece of a sentence thats become detached or separated from the rest. A sentence has a subject and a verb and makes a complete thought. Fragments and runon sentences fragment refer to the lb brief handbook 5th edition, pgs. When sentences begin with subordinate conjunctions or relative pronouns, they. Examples sentence fragment missing came to motlow to learn. A participle phrase fragment will begin with a word ending in ing or ed, or the fragment will open with an irregular past participle. Fix sentence fragments by adding missing elements, by incorporating the fragment into adjoining sentences, or by dropping the subordinating conjunction. If you notice that your teachers are constantly marking fragments in your compositions, you should try this effective proofreading trick to get the problem.
136 317 1045 1485 802 1306 184 1228 204 1201 1473 1392 1168 1109 6 1558 831 1404 1126 881 537 1399 1049 2 1253 855 69 1401 256 191 1176 1480 1393 786 1337 1456 1495 909