sentence fragment: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, academic, educational
Quick answer
What does “sentence fragment” mean?
A group of words that looks like a sentence but lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of words that looks like a sentence but lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
In grammar and style, an incomplete sentence used intentionally or unintentionally, which in formal writing is considered an error but can be effective for emphasis or realism in creative writing or dialogue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term and its concept are identical in both varieties. Usage in educational contexts and style guides is the same. The hyphenation in compound modifiers may be slightly more common in BrE.
Connotations
Neutral to negative (when denoting an error) in both varieties. In creative writing contexts, it is viewed more neutrally as a potential technique.
Frequency
Equally common in educational and editorial contexts in both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “sentence fragment” in a Sentence
[Subject] + verb + 'a sentence fragment' (e.g., 'The essay contains a sentence fragment.')'Sentence fragment' + linking verb + [complement] (e.g., 'A sentence fragment is an error.')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sentence fragment” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The editor will fragment the long paragraph for clarity.
- His narrative style often fragments into impressionistic glimpses.
American English
- The author fragmented the timeline to create suspense.
- The policy debate fragmented along partisan lines.
adverb
British English
- The memories came back to him fragmentarily.
- The data was recorded fragmentarily over several years.
American English
- The story is told fragmentarily from multiple perspectives.
- Information was released fragmentarily to the press.
adjective
British English
- The fragmentary evidence was difficult to interpret.
- She wrote in a fragmentary style, using brief notes.
American English
- The report provided only a fragmentary account of the event.
- Archaeologists uncovered fragmentary remains of the wall.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in feedback on formal reports or communications: 'Please revise this section to eliminate sentence fragments.'
Academic
Common in grammar textbooks, style guides, and teacher feedback on student writing. Central to teaching formal written English.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual speech. Might be used by someone giving writing advice.
Technical
Used in linguistics and computational linguistics to describe parsed text structures that are non-clausal.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sentence fragment”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sentence fragment”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sentence fragment”
- Using sentence fragments in formal essays and reports.
- Failing to recognise a fragment because it begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
- Confusing a fragment with a short but complete sentence (e.g., 'He ran.' is complete).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In formal, expository writing (like essays or reports), it is typically an error. However, in creative writing, journalism, advertising, and dialogue, it can be used intentionally for effect, such as to create pace, emphasis, or realism.
You can either 1) Attach it to a nearby complete sentence with appropriate punctuation, or 2) Add the missing elements (like a subject or main verb) to make it a complete independent clause.
All sentence fragments are phrases or dependent clauses, but not all phrases are considered fragments. A 'sentence fragment' is specifically a phrase or clause that is incorrectly punctuated as if it were a standalone sentence. A phrase listed in a grammar book is just a structural unit.
Yes, frequently in informal writing (texts, notes, some online content) and sometimes in first drafts of formal writing. It is one of the most common errors identified in writing tutorials and by editors.
A group of words that looks like a sentence but lacks a subject, a verb, or a complete thought.
Sentence fragment is usually formal, academic, educational in register.
Sentence fragment: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsentəns ˌfræɡ.mənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsen.təns ˌfræɡ.mənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a sentence as a complete car (subject + verb = engine + wheels). A SENTENCE FRAGMENT is just a FRAME or a WHEEL on its own – it can't go anywhere.
Conceptual Metaphor
WRITING IS CONSTRUCTION (A sentence fragment is a broken or incomplete piece of the structure.)
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a sentence fragment?