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Sentence Editing: Fragments, Run-ons and Variety — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 7 sentences & clauses worksheet.

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Year 7 · English · Sentences & Clauses

Sentence Editing: Fragments, Run-ons and Variety — Answers

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Part A — Diagnose

Circle the diagnosis for each sentence. A comma splice is a run-on where only a comma joins two complete sentences.

1.Despite the heavy rain and the strong winds blowing across the bay.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: fragment

There is no main clause: nothing actually happens.

2.The lecture finished early, everyone left.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: comma splice

Two complete sentences joined by only a comma.

3.The lecture finished early everyone left.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: run-on

Two complete sentences with nothing between them.

4.Although the lecture finished early, nobody left.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: correct

A subordinate clause followed by a main clause.

5.He studied all night he still failed the test.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: run-on

Two main clauses fused with no punctuation or conjunction.

6.Hoping to catch the early train.
  1. Acorrect
  2. Bfragment
  3. Crun-on
  4. Dcomma splice

Answer: fragment

A participle phrase with no subject or main verb.

Part B — Repair

Rewrite each sentence correctly. Use a conjunction, a semicolon or a full stop, or add the missing main clause.

7.The museum was closed, we went to the gallery instead.

Answer: The museum was closed, so we went to the gallery instead.

  1. Also correct: The museum was closed; we went to the gallery instead.
  2. Or: Because the museum was closed, we went to the gallery instead.
8.Which was the best part of the trip.

Answer: Sample: The snorkelling, which was the best part of the trip, took all morning.

  1. Answers will vary. The relative clause must be attached to a main clause.
9.My phone died I couldn't call you.

Answer: My phone died, so I couldn't call you.

  1. Also correct: My phone died; I couldn't call you.
  2. Or: Because my phone died, I couldn't call you.
10.After weeks of training in the cold and the dark.

Answer: Sample: After weeks of training in the cold and the dark, the rowers finally raced.

  1. Answers will vary. A subject and main verb must be added.

Part C — Clarity and variety

Circle the best option.

11.Which sentence has the clearest meaning?
  1. AWalking to school, the rain soaked my bag.
  2. BWalking to school, my bag was soaked by the rain.
  3. CWhile I was walking to school, the rain soaked my bag.
  4. DThe rain, walking to school, soaked my bag.

Answer: While I was walking to school, the rain soaked my bag.

In the others, the phrase 'walking to school' wrongly attaches to the rain or the bag. This is a dangling modifier.

12.Which is the best way to combine: The café was busy. The service was fast.
  1. AThe café was busy, the service was fast.
  2. BAlthough the café was busy, the service was fast.
  3. CThe café was busy the service was fast.
  4. DBusy café, fast service.

Answer: Although the café was busy, the service was fast.

'Although' shows the contrast and joins the clauses correctly.

13.Which sentence is least wordy while keeping the meaning?
  1. ADue to the fact that it was late, we left.
  2. BBecause it was late, we left.
  3. CIt being late, we therefore made the decision to leave.
  4. DWe left owing to the lateness of the hour.

Answer: Because it was late, we left.

'Because' says the same as 'due to the fact that' in one word.

14.Which sentence opening adds the most variety to a paragraph where every sentence starts with 'The'?
  1. AThe dog barked at the gate.
  2. BThe gate rattled as the dog barked.
  3. CBarking furiously, the dog hurled itself at the gate.
  4. DThe furious dog barked at the gate.

Answer: Barking furiously, the dog hurled itself at the gate.

Starting with a participle phrase changes the rhythm.

Part D — Edit for correctness and variety

This paragraph is correct in places but flat, and it contains one comma splice and one fragment.

We went to camp. We hiked for three hours on the first day. The track was muddy, the view from the ridge was spectacular. We were exhausted. We set up our tents beside the creek. The stars that night. We had never seen them so bright.

15.Rewrite the paragraph above. Fix any sentence errors, and vary the sentence openings and lengths so that it reads smoothly.

Model answer: On the first day of camp, we hiked for three hours. Although the track was muddy, the view from the ridge was spectacular. Exhausted, we set up our tents beside the creek. That night, the stars were brighter than any of us had ever seen.

Success criteria:

  • No fragments, run-ons or comma splices
  • At least three different sentence openings
  • A mix of short and longer sentences
  • Original meaning kept
  • Correct punctuation throughout
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Marking tips

  • Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
  • For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
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