Sentence Practice - run-ons and fragments

Which of the following word groups is composed entirely of complete sentences?

• I like ice cream. Because it's not poison.

• My friend gave me a gift. Now I have to feed it.

• If you want. I could try giving you a tattoo.

• School is better than vacation. Not likely!

Answer explanation

Every sentence needs to have a complete thought. "Because it's not poison" is not a complete thought (the condition set up by "because" is not fulfilled--what happens because?). "If you want" is not a complete thought (the condition set up by "if" is not fulfilled--what happens if?). "Not likely!" is not a complete thought (there is no subject or verb).

What is the correct label for the following word group?

I am allergic to alligators but my sister's pet alligator doesn't care.

• sentence

• fragment

• run-on

• idiom

Answer explanation

Two word groups that could be sentences on their own must be either separated or joined properly. When a FANBOYS conjunction (a coordinating conjunction) is used to join two otherwise independent sentences, a comma is required before the conjunction. In this case, a comma needs to precede the word "but." Without the comma, this is a run-on.

What is the correct label for the following word group?

I used to have five fingers on each hand, do you want to hear what happened?

• sentence

• fragment

• run-on

• fire engine

Tags

CCSS.L.6.2A

Which of the following word groups has a subject, a verb, and a complete thought?

• All the livelong day.

• Over the dark, blue sea.

• If I had a hammer.

• Merrily, we roll along.

Why is this word group a run-on?

Sparkling in the sun, the diamond looked expensive, it was larger than a pea.

• "Sparkling in the sun" is not a sentence on its own.

• "It was larger than a pea" is joined to another complete sentence with only a comma.

• "Expensive" is the wrong spelling.

• "The diamond looked expensive" is not a sentence on its own.

Tags

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.L.6.1C

Another name for an incomplete sentence is which of these?

• fragment

• dragnet

• frog meat

• Who cares?

A group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought is not a complete sentence. However, such a word group can often be attached to a complete sentence to keep the word group from being a fragment.

What do we call such a word group?

• independent clause

• dependent clause

• contractual clause

• Santa Claus

A complete sentence contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

What is another name for a complete sentence?

• independent clause

• dependent clause

• provisional clause

• sharp claws

Which of the following is written correctly? (Everything is spelled correctly.)

• "I have too many tomatoes again." said the blimp pilot.

• "I have too many tomatoes again," said the blimp pilot

• "I have too many tomatoes again," Said the blimp pilot.

• "I have too many tomatoes again," said the blimp pilot.

Tags

CCSS.L.6.2A

Which of the following is written correctly (Everything is spelled correctly.)

• Turning around he saw a clock through a window he was going to be late and it was all his fault.

• Turning around, he saw a clock through a window. He was going to be late and it was all his fault.

• Turning around, he saw a clock through a window. He was going to be late, and it was all his fault.

• Turning around, he saw a clock through a window, he was going to be late, and it was all his fault.

Tags

CCSS.L.6.2A

CCSS.L.6.3A

CCSS.W.6.4