Which option is a sentence fragment?

Which option is a sentence fragment?

• A. Because the experiment failed.
• B. The experiment failed.
• C. Because the experiment failed, the researchers paused.
• D. The experiment failed, and the researchers paused.

Answer: (A)

A sentence fragment occurs when a group of words cannot stand alone as a complete thought. The option that starts with Because is a dependent clause; starting with a subordinating conjunction makes it unable to express a complete idea by itself, so it needs more information to form a full sentence. The other options are complete sentences. The second option states a full idea with a subject and a verb. The third option has a dependent clause followed by an independent clause, making a complete sentence. The fourth option combines two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction, also a complete sentence. So the fragment is the one that begins with Because.

A sentence fragment occurs when a group of words cannot stand alone as a complete thought. The option that starts with Because is a dependent clause; starting with a subordinating conjunction makes it unable to express a complete idea by itself, so it needs more information to form a full sentence.

The other options are complete sentences. The second option states a full idea with a subject and a verb. The third option has a dependent clause followed by an independent clause, making a complete sentence. The fourth option combines two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction, also a complete sentence. So the fragment is the one that begins with Because.