Ready to test your knowledge about English Sentence Fragments?
Understanding Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence but isn't a complete thought. It might be missing a subject, a verb, or both. Sometimes, it doesn't express a complete idea.
Common Causes of Sentence Fragments
Important Points
Missing subject
Missing verb
Incomplete thought
Dependent clause left alone
Let's look at each cause to understand how fragments happen.
Missing Subject
Sometimes, a sentence doesn't have a subject. The subject is who or what the sentence is about.
Examples
Ran to the store. (Who ran?)
Is very happy. (Who is happy?)
Missing Verb
A sentence needs a verb to show what the subject is doing or being.
Examples
The cat on the mat. (What did the cat do?)
The boy in the park. (What did the boy do?)
Incomplete Thought
Even with a subject and a verb, a sentence might not be complete if it doesn't express a full idea.
Examples
He went to the store because he was hungry. (This needs more information.)
She laughed when she heard the joke. (This leaves us wondering what happened next.)
Dependent Clause Left Alone
A dependent clause starts with words like 'because', 'when', 'if', and can't stand alone as a sentence.
Examples
Because it was raining. (What happened because it was raining?)
When the bell rings. (What happens when the bell rings?)
How to Fix Sentence Fragments
Important Points
Add a subject or verb
Combine with another sentence
Complete the thought
To fix a fragment, make sure it has a subject and a verb, and that it expresses a complete idea. Sometimes, you can add more words or combine it with another sentence.
Examples
She ran to the store.
The cat sat on the mat.
He went to the store because he was hungry and bought some food.
Ready to test your knowledge about English Sentence Fragments?