A sentence fragment is an incomplete thought or clause. As opposed to a complete thought that is exhibited by complete sentences. Fragments usually are parts of sentences that are somehow disconnected from the main clause. This usually escapes use because many times an incomplete thought can imitate complete sentence. As readers we become accustom to given merit to anything that is properly punctuated as being acceptable and that is just not always the case. We can often fix this by getting rid of the period that exists between the fragment and the main clause. It is often a two-step process where we attach the missing components and then find a way to tie this into the independent clause. We find that fragments often are found as acceptable in works of fiction, journalism, and blog writing. But if you are writing anything that is to be observed as formal, steer clear of fragments.
The following collection of activity sheets will help your students learn how to identify and correct sentence fragments. As with most English communication, context is important. A sentence fragment on its own may be correctly understood if it is the answer to a question. Activities include identifying given phrases as sentences or fragments, rewriting sentences, completing sentences to avoid miscues, and more. Answer keys have been provided for sheets with definitive answers, but some sheets will have answers that will vary by student. Fun Fact: While a sentence must have a noun and predicate to be considered complete, answers such as “Yes.” and commands such as “Attack!” are classified as “sentence words.”