Let's go through each sentence and determine whether it is a
complete sentence or a
fragment.
A
complete sentence must have:
- A
subject (who or what the sentence is about)
- A
predicate (what the subject is doing — usually includes a verb)
- And it must express a
complete thought.
A
fragment is missing one or more of these elements and does not express a complete thought.
---
A. *The cat sat on the mat.*
-
Subject: The cat
-
Verb: sat
-
Complete thought? Yes — it tells who did what and where.
✔ Answer: complete
---
B. *Running through the park.*
- This is a
phrase, not a full sentence.
- It starts with a present participle ("Running") but has no subject or main verb.
- No complete thought — we don’t know *who* is running or why.
✘ Answer: fragment
---
C. *We went to the movies last night.*
-
Subject: We
-
Verb: went
-
Complete thought? Yes — it tells who did what and when.
✔ Answer: complete
---
D. *Because it was raining.*
- This is a
dependent clause — it starts with "because", which makes it a subordinate clause.
- It explains a reason, but cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
- No independent clause here.
✘ Answer: fragment
---
E. *Played soccer in the backyard.*
- Missing a
subject — who played?
- "Played" is a verb, but without a subject, it’s incomplete.
✘ Answer: fragment
---
F. *The students studied for the test.*
-
Subject: The students
-
Verb: studied
-
Complete thought? Yes — it clearly states who did what and why.
✔ Answer: complete
---
G. *Jumped over the fence.*
- Missing a
subject — who jumped?
- "Jumped" is a verb, but no subject is given.
✘ Answer: fragment
---
✔ Final Answers:
A.
complete
B.
fragment
C.
complete
D.
fragment
E.
fragment
F.
complete
G.
fragment
Let me know if you'd like this explained in simpler terms!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of fragment sentence worksheet.
