Sentence Fragments

Last Updated on February 14, 2024.

Learn how to correct your grammar errors by identifying sentence fragments. A fragment is an incomplete sentence.

A sentence that is grammatically complete needs to adhere to three (3) different rules (extra text: when a sentence meets these three criteria, it can stand on its own, and it is an independent clause. Things that are independent, obviously do not need help in some way).

1. Determine if the following word group is a sentence fragment or a complete sentence.

Children that sing.

A.Fragment

B.Complete sentence

Question 1 of 2

2. Determine if the following word group is a sentence fragment or a complete sentence.

People who laugh tend to be happy.

A.Sentence fragment

B.Complete sentence

Question 2 of 2

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This lesson is provided by Onsego GED Prep.

Video Transcription

• The sentence should include a subject (the noun that’s acting in the sentence).
• The sentence needs to include a predicate (the verb that’s connected to the sentence’s subject).
• The sentence is required to be a complete thought (so it should be able to stand on its own and must make sense).

As said, if sentences meet these three criteria, they can stand on their own and are referred to as independent clauses.

When things are independent, they obviously don’t need help in any way. If written sentences do not conform to all of these three (3) rules, they are fragments.

Fragments

Fragments are groups of words written as a sentence but that do not conform to all three above-listed rules. So, fragments are missing a subject or a noun, or aren’t complete thoughts. Most fragments in writings are the result of dependent clauses and independent clauses that weren’t put together in those sentences.

If writers are aware of these sentence construction rules and make sure they’re followed at all times, fixing fragments is a fairly straightforward operation.

Just look at a few examples of fragments and their possible fixes:

Example #1

• Incorrect: I must study more for our math class. Because I’m not doing so well.

In this sentence, the 2nd sentence is a dependent clause (what are you not doing well?). It must be connected to the 1st sentence, the independent clause.

• After revision: I must study more for our math class because I’m not doing so well.

Example #2

• Incorrect: Aims College is offering multiple classes at varied times. That’s why I decided on the school.

Here again, in the 2nd sentence, we have a dependent clause (why did you decide on Aims?). It must be connected to the 1st sentence, the independent clause.

• After revision: Aims College is offering multiple classes at varied times, which is why I decided on the school.

Example #3

• Incorrect: Minnesota’s weather can be pretty hard to live with. In winter, always cold, and in the summer can get hot and humid.

Our 2nd sentence has no subject; it may be connected to the 1st independent clause, or it must restate the subject. If we would insert the pronoun “it” to refer back to Minnesota’s weather will deal with this.

• After revision: Minnesota’s weather can be pretty hard to live with. In winter, it is always cold, and in the summer, it can get hot and humid.

Example #4

• Incorrect: A well-written essay including many facts and proper citations.

This example sentence is lacking a complete verb, the predicate. Because the predicate is lacking, we’re not sure either what the sentence’s subject is.

• After revision: This (or she turned in) a well-written essay, including many facts and proper citations.

Note that we often can find fragments in different types of writing, such as novels, poems, or personal interest pieces in magazines and newspapers.

In this sort of case, the fragments are used to have a certain effect wanted by the writer.

The writer, in these cases, is well aware that he or she is using a fragment. In academic essays, however, fragments should be avoided at all times.