Endmarks

Unit 3: Sentence Fragments

Units 3, 4, and 5 provide strategies for and practice with
identifying complete sentences and fixing the most common
sentence problems: fragments and run-ons. Unit 3 focuses on
identifying and correcting sentence fragments.

It is
often difficult to spot
sentence fragments. Especially
when they seem connected to
the preceding sentence.

Definition: Sentence fragments are incomplete thoughts that

have been punctuated as if they were sentences.
Example: A sentence like this one, for example.

Teaching Tips
X Students often find it difficult to recognize fragments and thus to eliminate them from their
writing. Why? They are assailed with fragments every daywhen they think, when they
converse, when they write dialogue, and even when they read.
Expert writers use fragments to fit their style and the occasion. If students are to use
fragments effectively in their writing, then first they need to be able to distinguish between
fragments and complete thoughts.

X The example above illustrates the most common fragment error: An incomplete thought that is
really an extension of a preceding thought is punctuated as if it were a separate sentence.
These mistakes often occur in explanations and examples.
The easiest way to correct this kind of error is simply to attach the offending fragment to the
sentence before it by removing the preceding period, adding a comma (if necessary), and
changing the uppercase letter to lowercase. Alternatively, you can turn the fragment into a
sentence by adding a subject or other needed words.

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Sentence with fragment: I always admired Gandhi. The great Indian leader.
Correction: I always admired Gandhi, the great Indian leader.
Alternative: I always admired Gandhi. He was a great Indian leader.

X Students also can be reassured that fragments in quoted dialogue are perfectly correct since
we so often leave out words when we speak.

Mini-Lesson
Since students experience the most trouble identifying sentence fragments when the fragments are
combined with a related thought, exercises should include the complete thoughts that set up and
mask the fragments as well as the fragments themselves.

15

Sentence Fragments

Endmarks

To get your students used to proofreading for fragments, write some of the common patterns on
the boardcomplete thoughts followed by fragments that are examples, explanations, and other
related phrasesand then ask for ideas about how to correct each one. Some students will want
to add words to make the fragment a separate sentence while most will probably want to attach it
to the preceding thought. Go through the appropriate punctuation changes. In some cases no
punctuation may be needed, in some a comma will need to be inserted in place of the period, and
for lists or examples you may need a dash or colon.
Here are a few examples and possible corrections:
Example: These are the contenders. Martha, Maya, and Frances.
Correction: These are the contenders: Martha, Maya, and Frances.
Example: He was lost in his own world. Dreaming of daring deeds in distant lands.
Correction: He was lost in his own world, dreaming of daring deeds in distant lands.
Example: Well get lunch. After we do our shopping.
Correction: Well get lunch after we do our shopping.
Example: You will enjoy the performance. But not for long!
Correction: You will enjoy the performancebut not for long!

Answers
Page 17, Message in a Grid
Fragments: 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12. Answer: Russia

Punctuation Puzzles & Mazes

Page 18, Maze

Answer Key: The correct path goes through: 1. My aunt has a bright
red umbrella. 2. A strong wind broke my umbrella. 3. Umbrellas have
a long, interesting history. 4. Will it rain tonight? 5. My umbrella didnt
keep my feet dry! 6. A few lightning bolts are sixty miles long. 7. I love
to hear rain on the roof. 8. Didnt you wear your boots? 9. I always
lose my umbrellas. 10. Do you know what to do in a thunderstorm?
11. The weather is often hard to predict.
Bonus: 1. Umbrellas used as sunshades are called parasols. 2. The
Romans used parasols.

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16

Sentence Fragments

Name ______________________________________________

Endmarks

Date _________________

Message in a Grid
What is the largest country in the world? ______________________________
Directions: Find the answer to this question in the grid below by correctly identifying the
sentence fragments in the following exercise. Circle the number of any example that is a
fragment. Then, circle the letter in the grid that matches. The first fragment has been
identified for you.

1. Jacqueline loved her dog.

2. A Great Dane named Raina who was almost a perfect pet.
3. Raina was playful, loving, gentle, smart, and obedient (usually).
4. She did, however, have one or two bad habits.
5. Like getting too excited sometimes when Jacqueline took her
for a walk on her leash.
6. Which made Jacqueline think that she was holding back a horse rather than a dog.
7. You see, Raina weighed over 140 pounds.
8. And was almost four feet tall and very powerful.

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9. Making her very hard to restrain if she saw another dog, a squirrel, or some other
small animal.
10. What did Jacqueline do in such a situation?
11. She spoke to Raina in a serious, commanding voice.
12. And then looked for a tree, a park bench, or something else very solid that she could
hold on to for dear life!

3 2 7 4 12 10 6 11 9 5
B R E A U Z S M S I

1 8
L A

17

Sentence Fragments

Endmarks

Name ______________________________________________

Date _________________

Maze
Directions: Trace a path from start to finish that passes through 11 complete sentences.
Avoid sentence fragments, for they act as blocks!

Th
re
ep
m
ixt
eo
ur
pl
eo
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fr
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t y
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s

A
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it i i n d
b
ns
id roke
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ut my u
in
mb
on
e b rella
.
ig
gu
s t.
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a.
as
ol
s.

br

hi
sto

l it
Wil

rain tonight?

X Bonus: Can you find two more complete sentences

that are not on the correct path to the end?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

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m
r
i ght r e d u
pa
d
ha
des
ll e
a re c a

ti n

Punctuation Puzzles & Mazes

18

br

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START

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END

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