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Getting Smarter through Language

Identifying and Fixing Sentence Fragments | Practice 2

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Based on this lesson, identify the sentence that contain fragments. If there is a sentence fragment, use the space provide to type your correction. (There may be multiple ways to correct a fragment.)

When you are finished, click “Answer.”

Note. Your answers will not be submitted. When you leave this page, they will be deleted.

1. After studying French for several years in high school and college. Many students believed they were not fluent enough.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: After studying French for several years in high school and college.

Possible correction: After studying French for several years in high school and college, many students believed they were still not fluent enough.

2. After the storm, many residents felt abandoned. Even though they received some assistance from local authorities. It was too late and not enough.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: Even though they received some assistance from local authorities.

Possible correction 1: After the storm, many residents felt abandoned even though they received some assistance from local authorities. It was too late and not enough.

Possible correction 2: After the storm, many residents felt abandoned. Even though they received some assistance from local authorities, it was too late and not enough.

Note. This item shows how sentence fragments can be confusing to your readers. Joining the “even though” statement to with the first or last part of the sentence changes the meaning, but It is impossible to tell exactly what the writer’s original intent was.

3. “It is the government’s role to protect its citizens from foreign and domestic threats.” John Lester, a residents of Senator Ecks’s district, said.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: John Lester, a residents of Senator Ecks’s district said.

Possible correction: “It is the government’s role to protect its citizens from foreign and domestic threats,” John Lester, a residents of Senator Ecks’s district, said.

4. With cameras easily accessible on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets. Anyone in public can become a “citizen reporter.” Documenting anything important happening around them.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragments: “With cameras easily accessible on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets” and “Documenting anything important happening around them.”

Possible correction 1: With cameras easily accessible on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, anyone in public can become a “citizen reporter,” documenting anything important happening around them.

Possible correction 2: With cameras easily accessible on portable devices such as smartphones and tablets, anyone in public can become a “citizen reporter” by documenting anything important happening around them.

5. Following all instructions carefully and thoroughly. It is important if you want to complete the assignment correctly.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: Following all instructions carefully and thoroughly.

Possible correction 1: Following all instructions carefully and thoroughly is important if you want to complete the assignment correctly.

Possible correction 2: To complete the assignment correctly, it is important to follow all instructions carefully and thoroughly.

Are you doing well so far? This practice is a little more difficult than Practice 1. Let’s do a few more.

6. Writing involves many decisions even before you write your first word. For example, what to write about and who to write for.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: For example, what to write about and who to write for.

Possible correction 1: Writing involves many decisions even before you write your first word, for example, what to write about and who to write for.

Possible correction 2: Writing involves many decisions even before you write your first word. For example, you must decide what to write about and who to write for.

Possible correction 3: Writing involves many decisions, such as what to write about and who to write for, even before you write your first word.

Possible correction 4: Writing involves many decisions (for example, what to write about and who to write for) even before you write your first word.

7. Even professional photographers and videographers are experimenting with smartphone cameras. They are lightweight and produce high-quality photo and video.

Correction (if needed):

No sentence fragment:

8. “We will continue supporting our military through these difficult times.” Even as veterans were at the meeting to complain about poor treatment by the government, the president actually said those words.

Correction (if needed):

No sentence fragment. Both sentences are complete ideas.

9. Despite being advised repeatedly not to run his political campaign on social issues. Mr. Gonzalez never backed down and ultimately won the election.

Correction (if needed):

Sentence fragment: Despite being advised repeatedly not to run his political campaign on social issues.

Possible correction 1: Despite being advised repeatedly not to run his political campaign on social issues, Mr. Gonzalez never backed down and ultimately won the election.

10. Nowadays it is regular citizens who document police activities and misconduct in their communities. Not journalists, as it used to be in the past.

Correction (if needed):

Not journalists, as it used to be in the past.

Possible correction 1: Nowadays regular citizens, not journalists, as it used to be in the past, document police activities and misconduct in their communities.

Rather than journalists, as it used to be in the past, nowadays it is regular citizens who document police activities and misconduct in their communities.

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