sentence fragments

Sentence Fragment Exercises—#1

The sentences below appeared in papers written by students. Act as their editor, marking a C if the sentences in the group are all complete and an F if any of the sentences in the group is a fragment. Could you tell these writers why the fragments are incomplete sentences?
__f__ 1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior high that was a bad experience. (depends on the sentence before)
___f_ 2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as the sun sending its brilliant rays to the earth and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and brown moving slowly in the wind. (depends on sentence before)
___c_ 3. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes. Like other teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.
___f_ 4. Within each group, a wide range of features to choose from. It was difficult to distinguish between them. (missing a verb)
__c__ 5. A few of the less serious fellows would go into a bar for a steak dinner and a few glasses of beer. After this meal, they were ready for anything.
___c_ 6. It can be really embarrassing to be so emotional. Especially when you are on your first date, you feel that you should be in control.
__f__ 7. The magazine has a reputation for a sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group of readers. Although that is a value judgment and in circumstances not a true premise. (depends on sentence before)
___f_ 8. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football. To prove to himself and his parents that he is a man. (depends on sentence before)
___f_ 9. She opened the door and let us into her home. Not realizing at the time that we would never enter that door in her home again. (depends on sentence before)
__c__10. As Christmas grows near, I find myself looking back into my childhood days at fun-filled times of snowball fights. To think about this makes me happy.
___f_11. Making up his mind quickly. Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife. Hoping she would accept his apology. (this sentence can’t be understood w/out the one after it.)
__f__12. They were all having a good time. Until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a little too much to drink. (depends on sentence before)
__f__13. Although it only attained a speed of about twelve miles an hour. My old rowboat with its three-horsepower motor seemed like a high-speed job to me. (depends on the next sentence)
__c__14. With my brother standing by my side, I reached for the pot handle. Tilting the pot way too much caused the boiling water to spill.
__f__15. The small, one-story houses are all the same size and style. With no difference except the color. (doesn’t mean anything w/out sentence before)
__f__16. Being a friend of mine like he was when we first joined the soccer team. Together we learned a lot. (dependent on other sentence)

Sentence Fragments: Exercise 2
These paragraphs need proofreading for possible fragments. Use the space below each paragraph for revising.

1. How can a person find patriotism in a local night club? Well, it did not take me too long. About four weeks ago in a little night club in Louisville, Kentucky, a couple of my friends, Rick and Lon, the duo who were providing the entertainment that night for the club.
There is a dependent clause. I would rephrase it and say:
About four weeks ago in a little night club in Louisville, Kentucky, a couple of my friends, Rick and Lon, the duo who were providing the entertainment that night for the club sang the national anthem.
2. For the past twenty years, the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan has been measuring the level of Americans' trust and confidence in their politicians and quasi-political trust and confidence in their political institutions and their leaders. "Political" being all levels of government, and "quasi-political" churches, labor unions, large professional/business associations, educational institutions, and the like. The result is that a very sharp decline has taken place every year since 1964.
"Political" refers all levels of government, and "quasi-political" refers to churches, labor unions, large professional/business associations, educational institutions, and the like.
3. For 200 years Americans believed in better jobs, better homes, a better life for one's children. This confidence no longer exists. Polls now indicate that fewer Americans who feel they are better off today than they were five years ago. A public-opinion analysis group has found that large numbers of Americans, at some times and in some places, see themselves as lower on the ladder. Adding worse living conditions and anticipation of further decline over the next five years.
A public-opinion analysis group has found that large numbers of Americans, at some times and in some places, see themselves as lower on the ladder due to worse living conditions and anticipation of further decline over the next five years.
4. Well, in looking at the picture at the left you see an old lady. She has a very funny look on her face. As if she's lonely and just wants to be left alone. She also looks as if she has seen a lot and experienced lots of things.
She looks lonely as if she just wants to be left alone.

Sentence Fragments: Exercise 3
The following paragraph has no capital letters or periods to mark the beginnings and ends of sentences. Add capitals, periods, commas, and/or other punctuation that may be needed to make the word groups into complete sentences. Your goal is to be sure that there are no fragments.

My brother was always my best friend, especially when I was a child. Since we two were almost alone in the world we lived with our old grandmother in a little house, almost a shack, in the country. Whenever I think of him now I see a solemn, responsible boy, a boy too old for his years who looked out for me no matter what. Once there was a bully John Anson who looked enormous to me though he was probably an average twelve-year-old John had it in for me because he liked Littice Grant, who liked me. Due to this, he decided to beat me up right before her eyes. I was lucky my brother came by, he didn't interfere any he just stood there somehow though his presence gave me confidence. I licked the stuffing out of John Anson. If my brother hadn't been there, I don't think I could have done it.