You can identify sentence fragments through punctuation or context. Once you have identified a sentence fragment, you can fix it by adding a subject or a verb or combining it with another sentence.

A sentence fragment is a group of words that looks like a sentence, but actually isn’t a complete sentence. Sentence fragments are usually missing a subject or verb, or they do not express a complete thought. While it may be punctuated to look like a complete sentence, a fragment cannot stand on its own.

Remember that a sentence is a group of words that has the following three traits: (Trait 1) A sentence gives a complete thought. (Trait 2) A sentence contains a subject. (Trait 3) A sentence contains a verb. If a group of words is missing one of these traits, then it is a sentence fragment.

Fragments are incomplete sentences. Usually, fragments are pieces of sentences that have become disconnected from the main clause. One of the easiest ways to correct them is to remove the period between the fragment and the main clause. Other kinds of punctuation may be needed for the newly combined sentence.

A fragment is a “piece” (or part) of a sentence because it is missing information to make a complete sentence. A sentence fragment is missing a subject, a verb, OR a complete idea.