Correcting Sentence Fragments

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. No verb No subject Not a complete thought 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. Examples Reached the campsite early. The ground muddy and wet after the storm. Because the tent had a leak in it.

4. What is a sentence fragment?Complete sentence A completesentence is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. Subject Verb Some speciesare in danger. Some speciesarein danger. Some species are in danger. Verb Subject Scientistsstudythese animals. Scientistsstudythese 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 thatshe likes music. She likes music. Sentence Fragment I know thatplaying a guitar. Playing a guitar. *Source: Linguist Rei Noguchi

7. What is a sentence fragment? Apply the test to the following group of words: Thebirdsat on a high branch. The birdsaton 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 isrunning 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 thetrainleft the station. After the trainleftthe 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. How to fix a sentence fragmentAdd 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 No subject. Who cared for the zebra? Cared for the sick zebra. The zookeeper cared for the sick zebra. Fragment Complete sentence Every day fed her a special food. Every day he fed her a special food. No subject. Who fed her?

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

12. How to fix a sentence fragmentAttach 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.

13. How to fix a sentence fragmentAttach 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.

14. 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]

15. 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. F ___ 3. Walks the dog after dinner each evening. C ___ 4. Someone broke the lock. F ___ 5. Because the ground freezes at night.

16. 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]

17. 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. Weput 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.

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19. 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 Verb: Yes. Took. Subject: No Complete thought: No The group of words is a fragment because it has no subject and does not express a complete thought.

20. 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 Verb: No Subject: Yes. Mr. Yang. Complete thought: No The group of words is a fragment because it has no verb and does not express a complete thought.

21. 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 Verb: Yes. Watched. Subject: Yes. We. Complete thought: Yes The group of words is a sentence because it has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

22. 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 Verb: Yes. Was. Subject: Yes. Sky. 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.

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. ___ 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.

24. ___ 1. The squirrels play in the yard every day. S 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. S The subject is missing. What play in the yard?Add a subject to make a complete sentence.

25. ___ 2. The rain dripped from the edge of the roof. V 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 V ___ 2. The rain from the edge of the roof. The verb is missing. What did the rain do? Add a verb to make a complete sentence.

26. ___ 3. The family waited at the bus stop for an hour. S 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 S ___ 3. Waited at the bus stop for an hour. The subject is missing. Who waited? Add a subject to make a complete sentence.

27. ___ 4. The dog happily fetched the ball. V 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. V The verb is missing. What did the dog do with the ball? Add a verb to make a complete sentence.

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. F 1. ___ If you receive a gift. ___ You should send a thank-you note. 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. C 2. ___ My father is energetic. ___ Because he eats healthful foods. 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.