1. What is a sentence fragment?
Identify which of the following are sentence fragments. Be prepared to explain your answer.
1. Explained the binary number system.
2. Only the digits 0 and 1 are used in the binary number system.
3. Although it is not the only number system.
4. Many computer programmers use the binary system.

2. What is a sentence fragment?
On Your Own
Determine whether each group of words is a fragment or a complete sentence. If the item is a complete sentence, write C. If a subject is missing, write S. If a verb is missing, write V. If the item has a subject and a verb but expresses an incomplete thought, write I.
___ 1. Nina Otero-Warren excelled as an educator, writer, and public official.
___ 2. Was an important influence in her life.
___ 3. Descended from a long line of political leaders.
___ 4. She was one of the first Mexican-American women to hold important public posts in New Mexico.
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3. Correcting phrase fragments
Make each phrase fragment part of a complete sentence, adding commas where needed.
Construction work on the Panama Canal continued. For ten years.
Fighting the mosquitoes. An army surgeon drained the swamps.
3. During the canal’s construction. Builders faced many obstacles.
4. An engineering wonder. The canal linked the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

4. Correcting phrase fragments
On Your Own
Rewrite the following paragraph to correct phrase fragments. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
Until the early part of the twentieth century. The blacksmith’s shop was a familiar sight in the United States. Shoeing horses and making metal wagon parts. Also called a smithy. The blacksmith’s shop was often a community meeting place.
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5. Correcting subordinate-clause fragments
Make a complete sentence from each of the following subordinate clauses.
Which seemed mysterious at first.
2. Unless I can catch a ride with you.
3. After the announcements were made.
4. After the storm had passed.

6. Correcting subordinate-clause fragments
On Your Own
Rewrite the following paragraph to correct subordinate clause fragments. Change capitalization and punctuation wherever necessary.
Sea urchins have long, movable spines. Which they use to push themselves across the ocean floor. Sea urchins can be eaten in sushi. After they have been harvested and carefully prepared. They may look odd, but they taste delicious!
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7. Review A
Identify each fragment as a phrase (P) or a subordinate clause (S). Then, add words to make it a complete sentence.
___ 1. Waving from the car window.
___ 2. That we should practice more.
___ 3. To prepare the garden.
___ 4. In addition to swimming and soccer.
___ 5. When we lived in Milwaukee.
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