AVOIDING FRAGMENTS

Eighth Grade Language

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Writing clear and concise sentences takes time
and effort. Anyone can write a confusing,
unclear sentence!
A sentence fragment can confuse the reader.
By learning to identify and correct this problem,
your writing can improve quickly and easily!
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FRAGMENTS
Threw the baseball. (Who threw the baseball?)

Mark and his friends. (What about them?)

Around the corner. (Who is? What happened?)

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A fragment may be missing a SUBJECT…

Threw the baseball. (Who threw the baseball?)

A fragment may be missing a VERB…

Mark and his friends. (What about them?)

A fragment may be missing BOTH…

Around the corner. (Who was? What happened?)
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You can correct a fragment by adding the missing

part of speech.

Add a subject: Rob threw the baseball.

Add a verb: Mark and his friends laughed.
Add both: A dog ran around the corner.
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Let’s practice!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?

Delivered newspapers in the rain.

Sentence Fragment
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Sorry!
It is a fragment. It is missing a subject.

You could correct it by adding a subject:

Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain.

Try another one!

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YES!
It is a fragment. It is missing a subject.

You could correct it by adding a subject:

Tyler delivered newspapers in the rain.

Try another one!

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Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?

Kevin and his dog.

Sentence Fragment
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Sorry!
It is a fragment. It is missing a verb.

You could correct it by adding a verb:

Kevin and his dog went for a walk.

Try another one!

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YES!
It is a fragment. It is missing a verb.

You could correct it by adding a verb:

Kevin and his dog went for a walk.

Try another one!

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Let’s practice more!
Is this a sentence or a fragment?

On Monday, we went outside for recess.

Sentence Fragment
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Yes!
It is a sentence.
It has both a subject and a verb.
subject verb

On Monday, we went outside for recess.

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Sorry!
This fragment needs a subject.

Quickly ducked behind the door. (Who did?)

Go back and try again!

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Sorry!
This fragment needs a verb.

Susan and Connie quietly. (Did what?)

Go back and try again!

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Right!
This fragment needs a verb!

Susan and Connie quietly. (Did what?)

Waited for lunch!