Mastering Sentence Fragments in Academic Writing

What is a sentence fragment?

• A sentence that is too long

• A complete sentence with a subject and verb

• An incomplete idea that is not a full sentence

• A sentence with too many clauses

Which of the following is an example of a sentence fragment?

• Craig is the most talented person on his hockey team.

• Because many people now have cell phones.

• Public pay phones are becoming harder to find.

• The introduction of laptops into the classroom has been successful.

Why is 'Because many people now have cell phones' a sentence fragment?

• It is a dependent clause that needs an independent clause.

• It is too short.

• It lacks a verb.

• It lacks a subject.

How can the sentence fragment 'Because many people now have cell phones' be corrected?

• Because many people now have cell phones, public pay phones are becoming harder to find.

• Public pay phones are becoming harder to find.

• Many people now have cell phones.

• Because many people now have cell phones, they are popular.

Why is 'Craig being the most talented person on his hockey team' a sentence fragment?

• It uses a gerund as the main verb.

• It is too short.

• It lacks a verb.

• It lacks a subject.

How can the sentence fragment 'Craig being the most talented person on his hockey team' be corrected?

• Craig is the most talented person on his hockey team.

• Craig, being the most talented person on his hockey team.

• Craig being talented on his hockey team.

• Craig is the talented person on his hockey team.

What is a common mistake involving gerunds in sentence fragments?

• Using them at the beginning of a sentence.

• Using them as the main verb of a sentence.

• Using them without a subject.

• Using them in complex sentences.

Why is 'The introduction of laptops into the classroom' a sentence fragment?

• It lacks a verb.

• It lacks a subject.

• It is too short.

• It is a dependent clause.

How can the sentence fragment 'The introduction of laptops into the classroom' be corrected?

• Laptops are introduced into the classroom.

• The introduction of laptops into the classroom.

• The introduction of laptops into the classroom has been successful.

• The introduction of laptops into the classroom is beneficial.

What should you look for to avoid sentence fragments?

• Multiple clauses.

• A long sentence.

• A subject, a verb, and a complete idea.

• A short sentence.