Sentence Fragments

Definition: A sentence fragment occurs when a sentence does not contain at least one independent clause (a subject correctly followed by a predicate).

1		Steve, on the other hand, is serious most of the time. Even though he occasionally tells a good joke.
			A)	Steve, on the other hand, is serious most of the time even, though he occasionally tells a good joke.
			B)	Steve, on the other hand, is serious most of the time even though he occasionally tells a good joke.
			C)	Steve, on the other hand, is serious most of the time: even though he occasionally tells a good joke.
			D)	Steve, on the other hand, is serious most of the time, even though he occasionally tells a good joke.
2		Mary has a peculiar sense of humor. Which endears her to everyone she meets.
			A)	Mary has a peculiar sense of humor: Which endears her to everyone she meets.
			B)	Mary has a peculiar sense of humor, which endears her to everyone she meets.
			C)	Mary has a peculiar sense of humor which, endears her to everyone she meets.
			D)	Mary has a peculiar sense of humor and which endears her to everyone she meets.
3		Classic television shows, such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family, helped make CBS the dominant broadcasting company of the early 1970s. The popularity of these shows lasting through most of the decade. They eventually ended and went into reruns.
			A)	Classic television shows, such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family, helped make CBS the dominant broadcasting company of the early 1970s. The popularity of these shows lasting through most of the decade they eventually ended and went into reruns.
			B)	Classic television shows, such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family, helped make CBS the dominant broadcasting company of the early 1970s. The popularity of these shows lasted through most of the decade, they eventually ended and went into reruns.
			C)	Classic television shows, such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family, helped make CBS the dominant broadcasting company of the early 1970s. The popularity of these shows lasted through most of the decade. They eventually ended and went into reruns.
			D)	Classic television shows, such as M*A*S*H and All in the Family, helped make CBS the dominant broadcasting company of the early 1970s. The popularity of these shows lasting through most of the decade. However they eventually ended and went into reruns.
4		Most of my close friends are going to college next year. For example, Tom, Maria, and DuJuan. They are all going to the state university.
			A)	Most of my close friends are going to college next year. For example, Tom, Maria, and DuJuan are all going to the state university.
			B)	Most of my close friends are going to college next year. For example, Tom, Maria, and DuJuan they are all going to the state university.
			C)	Most of my close friends are going to college next year. For example: Tom, Maria, and DuJuan. They are all going to the state university.
			D)	Most of my close friends are going to college next year for example. Tom, Maria, and DuJuan, they are all going to the state university.
5		All students at Hilltop University are required to take a writing course. Although some students manage to have the requirement waived.
			A)	All students at Hilltop University are required to take a writing course; although, some students manage to have the requirement waived.
			B)	All students at Hilltop University are required to take a writing course although. Some students manage to have the requirement waived.
			C)	All students at Hilltop University are required to take a writing course, although some students manage to have the requirement waived.
			D)	All students at Hilltop University are required to take a writing course. And although some students manage to have the requirement waived.
6		The rains continued for three days. Forcing most of the town's residents to evacuate. As the Green River overflowed its banks.
			A)	The rains continued for three days, forcing most of the town's residents to evacuate as the Green River overflowed its banks.
			B)	The rains continued for three days. Forcing most of the town's residents to evacuate, as the Green River overflowed its banks.
			C)	The rains continued for three days; forcing most of the town's residents to evacuate, as the Green River overflowed its banks.
			D)	The rains continued for three days, forcing most of the town's residents to evacuate. As the Green River overflowed its banks.
7		Edit this passage to correct sentence fragments by choosing the correct revision from the alternatives offered below each of the numbered exercises. The numbers in brackets [ ] identify each sentence. Which one of the following editing choices corrects sentences [1] - [4]?
			A)	Like Jonathan Bailey, I have a genetic problem. However, although Bailey's was visible the day he was born mine was not visible until I was in sixth grade which was when the problems started to occur.
			B)	Like Jonathan Bailey, I have a genetic problem. However, although Bailey's was visible the day he was born, mine was not visible until I was in sixth grade, which was when the problems started to occur.
			C)	Like Jonathan Bailey, I have a genetic problem. However, although Bailey's was visible the day he was born mine, was not visible until I was in sixth grade. Which was when the problems started to occur.
8		Which one of the following editing choices corrects sentences [5] - [12] ? Show sentences again.
			A)	I remember sitting in reading class and asking a friend to pull my arm. I thought my shoulder just needed to be cracked, but after she pulled my arm, the pain got even worse. I thought the pain would go away, but after a week or so, it started to feel like knives were entering my bone. I endured the pain until school ended for the summer. Then my mom thought it would be a good idea for me to go to the doctor.
			B)	I remember sitting in reading class and asking a friend to pull my arm. I thought my shoulder just needed to be cracked, but after she pulled my arm, the pain got even worse. I thought the pain would go away, but after a week or so, it started to feel like knives were entering my bone. I endured the pain until school ended for the summer. Then my mom thought it would be a good idea. For me to go to the doctor.
			C)	I remember sitting in reading class and asking a friend to pull my arm. I thought my shoulder just needed to be cracked. But after she pulled my arm, the pain got even worse. I thought the pain would go away, but after a week or so, it started to feel like knives were entering my bone. I endured the pain until school ended for the summer. Then my mom thought it would be a good idea for me to go to the doctor.
9		Which one of the following editing choices corrects sentences [13] - [18]? Show sentences again.
			A)	My doctor sent me to have some X-rays taken. When he received them, he was amazed at what he saw. The bone in my arm had broken in two places. He had no idea what the problem was, so he asked me to go to some specialists at MSU. Eventually, they diagnosed me with a bone disease. Called chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
			B)	My doctor sent me to have some X-rays taken. When he received them, he was amazed at what he saw. The bone in my arm had broken in two places. He had no idea what the problem was. So he asked me to go to some specialists at MSU. Eventually, they diagnosed me with a bone disease. Called chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
			C)	My doctor sent me to have some X-rays taken. When he received them, he was amazed at what he saw. The bone in my arm had broken in two places. He had no idea what the problem was, so he asked me to go to some specialists at MSU. Eventually, they diagnosed me with a bone disease called chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
10		Which one of the following editing choices corrects sentences [19] - [23]? Show sentences again.
			A)	The first week of July, I had to go to the hospital. The day after I was admitted, I had to have surgery, including a biopsy of my arm, two spinal taps, and insertion of a tube half in my body and half out. The tube was there because the doctors at first thought I had cancer.
			B)	The first week of July, I had to go to the hospital. The day after I was admitted I had to have surgery including a biopsy of my arm, two spinal taps, and insertion of a tube half in my body and half out. The tube was there because the doctors at first thought I had cancer.
			C)	The first week of July, I had to go to the hospital. The day after I was admitted, I had to have surgery. Including a biopsy of my arm, two spinal taps, and insertion of a tube half in my body and half out. The tube was there because the doctors at first thought I had cancer.
11		Which one of the following editing choices corrects sentences [24]-[29]? Show sentences again.
			A)	The spinal taps came back fine, but the biopsy was bad. To find out more about the disease, the next day I had to have many more X-rays. And an MRI and a CAT scan. By this time I was sick of all the radiation. The hospital could not do anything else for my bone, because it did not have any doctors who knew how to treat chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
			B)	The spinal taps came back fine, but the biopsy was bad. To find out more about the disease, the next day I had to have many more X-rays, an MRI, and a CAT scan. By this time I was sick of all the radiation. The hospital could not do anything else for my bone because it did not have any doctors who knew how to treat chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.
			C)	The spinal taps came back fine, but the biopsy was bad. To find out more about the disease, the next day I had to have many more X-rays. And an MRI and a CAT scan. By this time I was sick of all the radiation the hospital could not do anything else for my bone because it did not have any doctors who knew how to treat chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis.