What's Missing
Each group of words is a fragment. What is it missing? Circle who or what (the subject), what happened (the predicate) or the rest of the thought.
Fresh sheet anytime. Tap New sheet or reload for a different one. Tap + for up to 10.
This is sheet #163924601.
How to do it
- Read the fragment.
- Decide what it needs.
- Circle who or what, what happened, or rest of the thought.
Teaching tip
Ask "Who did it?" and "What happened?" If both have answers, the thought may not be finished yet. This sheet is aligned with Common Core L.4.1f.
About this worksheet
Fragments missing a subject, a predicate or the rest of the thought, like "When the bell rang." Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10. Includes an answer key.
What kids practice
A complete sentence has a subject, a predicate and a complete thought. A fragment is missing one of those parts, like "Ran to the bus stop." A run-on joins two sentences with no stop between them, or with only a comma, like "The rain stopped we went outside." Fourth graders write longer sentences, so both mistakes show up often.
Watch for
- Thinking a long sentence must be a run-on. A long sentence can be correct if it is joined the right way.
- Fixing a run-on with only a comma, like "I wanted pizza, my brother wanted tacos."
- Starting a sentence with because, when or after and never finishing the thought.
- Thinking a short sentence must be a fragment. "Maya laughed." is a complete sentence.
It's free to print, with Fewer, Standard or More on the page and an answer key. See the full fragments and run-ons guide for 4th grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. Complete Sentences ChartThe three parts of a complete sentence with a marked example, three kinds of fragments and how to fix them, and three ways to fix a run-on. 
2. Sentence or FragmentComplete sentences and fragments mixed together, to circle S for sentence or F for fragment. Fewer, Standard or More give 8, 10 or 12. Includes an answer key.
4. Fix the FragmentFragments to turn into complete sentences, with lines to write on. Fewer, Standard or More give 5, 6 or 7. The answer key shows one way to fix each one; other complete sentences work too.
5. Sentence or Run-OnRun-ons and complete sentences mixed together, including long sentences joined the right way with a comma and and, but or so. Fewer, Standard or More give 8, 10 or 12. Includes an answer key.
6. Fix the Run-OnRun-ons with no punctuation and run-ons joined with only a comma, with lines to write the fixed sentence. Fewer, Standard or More give 5, 6 or 7. The answer key shows both ways to fix each one.
7. Sentence, Fragment or Run-OnComplete sentences, fragments and run-ons mixed together, to sort by circling S, F or R. Fewer, Standard or More give 9, 12 or 15. Includes an answer key.
8. Edit the ParagraphSix short paragraphs, like "The Bird Feeder" and "The School Play," each with 2 fragments and 2 run-ons to find and fix. The answer key marks them and shows one way to write the fixed paragraph.