Sentence fragments

The rule in one minute

A sentence needs three things: a subject, a finite verb (a verb with a tense, like arrived or is) and a complete thought. A fragment looks like a sentence, with a capital letter and a full stop, but it is missing one of these.

Because the train was delayed. This begins with a capital and ends with a full stop. But the reader is left waiting: because the train was delayed, what happened?

Fragments come in three common shapes.

• A dependent clause cut off from its main sentence. It starts with words like because, although, when, which or since.
• A phrase with no finite verb: A cold, grey morning in the middle of term.
• An -ing phrase standing alone: Hoping for a better result next time.

The cure is the same in every case. Finish the thought, or attach the fragment to the sentence it was cut from.

Why it costs marks

A run-on puts too much into one sentence. A fragment puts too little. Both show a problem with knowing where a sentence starts and stops, and that is what accuracy marks reward.

One fragment is a small thing, but students who write one often write several. The ideas may be good, so the marks are lost only to structure. That is why the fix is worth learning.

Examples

• Fragment: Although she practised every day. Fixed: Although she practised every day, her nerves still got the better of her.
• Fragment: A decision that changed everything. Fixed: It was a decision that changed everything.
• Fragment: Running to catch the last bus home. Fixed: She was running to catch the last bus home.
• Fragment: Which explains why the results were delayed. Fixed: A power cut hit the school, which explains why the results were delayed.
• Fragment: For example, the way he never apologised. Fixed: Several habits annoyed her, for example the way he never apologised.

Most fixes add the missing piece or join the fragment to the sentence next to it.

Find the fault

Which of these are fragments? Fix each one, then check below.

1. Even though we arrived early.
2. The results were posted on Friday.
3. Standing alone at the edge of the field.
4. Which nobody had expected.
5. A long, exhausting week.

Answers: (1) Fragment (dependent clause). Even though we arrived early, the queue was already long. (2) A complete sentence. (3) Fragment (no finite verb). He was standing alone at the edge of the field. (4) Fragment. Attach it: The team lost the final, which nobody had expected. (5) Fragment (no verb). It had been a long, exhausting week.

Make it a habit

Check any short group of words that ends in a full stop with two questions.

1. Can I find a subject and a finite verb? If not, it is a fragment.
2. Does it start with because, although, while, if, since, which or when? If so, it cannot stand alone and needs a main clause.

Be most careful right after a strong sentence. That is where writers often add a trailing thought and punctuate it as its own sentence.

Ask: if I read this piece aloud on its own, does it make complete sense? If it leaves the listener waiting, attach it to the sentence before or after.

Keep deliberate fragments for rare moments of clear effect. When in doubt, complete the sentence.

Where students get stuck, and how we help

Students often write a fragment when they start a sentence with Because or Although and then lose track of the main clause. In our First Language English lessons, a teacher marks fragments in your own writing and shows the cleanest way to complete or attach each one.

Lessons start from RM70/hr. You can book a paid one-hour trial to try it.

Next step

Sharpen the test in the practice area. Then read about run-on sentences and comma splices. The proofreading guide shows how to check a finished piece.

Next, visit our original practice tasks to use the rule in your own writing. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.