Sentence Fragment Lesson: Definition, Identification, and Examples
Lesson Overview
- What Is a Sentence Fragment?
- How to Identify Sentence Fragments
- How to Fix Sentence Fragments
- Difference Between Fragment and Complete Sentence
- Sentence Fragments Example
Clear communication begins with well-structured sentences, but sometimes we encounter incomplete ideas known as sentence fragments. These fragments can disrupt the flow of writing and leave the reader confused.
Understanding how to create sentences that are clear, purposeful, and grammatically correct helps us avoid common errors and ensures our message is understood.
What Is a Sentence Fragment?
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. It might look like a sentence, with words and punctuation, but it lacks one or more essential elements:
- A subject: Who or what is performing the action?
- A verb: What action is being performed?
- A complete thought: Does the group of words express a full idea?
Examples:
- Fragment: Ran through the park. (Missing a subject - who ran?)
- Complete Sentence: The dog ran through the park.
- Fragment: Because it was raining. (This is a dependent clause - it doesn't express a complete thought.)
- Complete Sentence: Because it was raining, we stayed inside.
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How to Identify Sentence Fragments
Identifying sentence fragments requires checking if a group of words forms a complete thought. Here are three key steps:
- Look for a Subject and a Verb
- Does the sentence have both a subject (who or what) and a verb (action)?
Fragment: Enjoying the sunny afternoon.
Complete Sentence: They were enjoying the sunny afternoon.
- Does the sentence have both a subject (who or what) and a verb (action)?
- Check for a Complete Thought
- Does the sentence make sense on its own?
Fragment: After the meeting ended.
Complete Sentence: After the meeting ended, we went out for coffee.
- Does the sentence make sense on its own?
- Watch for Dependent Clauses
Does the sentence start with words like because, although, if, or when? These often need more information to complete the thought.
Fragment: When the movie started.
Complete Sentence: When the movie started, the audience grew silent.
How to Fix Sentence Fragments
Fixing a sentence fragment involves addressing what it lacks-a subject, verb, or complete thought-or attaching it to a related independent clause. Here's how:
1. Add the Missing Elements
Ensure the fragment has a subject and a verb.
Fragment: Hiding under the stairs when it's quiet.
Fixed: She loves hiding under the stairs when it's quiet.
2. Attach to an Independent Clause
Combine the fragment with a nearby sentence to form a complete thought.
Fragment: Because he missed the bus.
Fixed: He was late for school because he missed the bus.
3. Revise for Clarity
Rewrite the fragment so it stands as a grammatically correct sentence.
Fragment: After running in the rain.
Fixed: After running in the rain, she dried off and had tea.
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Difference Between Fragment and Complete Sentence
While fragments and complete sentences might both contain words and punctuation, there's a crucial difference:
| Aspect | Fragment | Complete Sentence |
| Definition | A group of words missing a subject, verb, or complete thought. | A group of words with a subject, verb, and complete thought. |
| Meaning | Does not convey a full idea and leaves the reader hanging. | Communicates a complete idea on its own. |
| Example | Running through the park. (What happened?) | She was running through the park to catch her dog. |
| Clarity | Often unclear and confusing without additional context. | Clear and stands alone as meaningful. |
| Structure | May lack essential grammatical components. | Has all necessary grammatical elements to be a proper sentence. |
Sentence Fragments Example
Example 1:
Fragment: Walking to school in the rain.
Explanation: Missing a subject and verb to form a complete thought.
Fixed: She was walking to school in the rain.
Example 2:
Fragment: After the long day at work.
Explanation: Incomplete because it doesn't explain what happened after the day at work.
Fixed: After the long day at work, he went home to relax.
Example 3:
Fragment: Because I forgot my keys.
Explanation: Starts with a subordinating conjunction, needing another clause to be complete.
Fixed: I was locked out because I forgot my keys.
Example 4:
Fragment: While waiting for the bus.
Explanation: The sentence is incomplete without explaining what happened while waiting.
Fixed: While waiting for the bus, she read a book.
Example 5:
Fragment: He went to the store. Because it was closed.
Explanation: "Because it was closed" is a dependent clause needing to be connected.
Fixed: He went to the store because it was closed.
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