Which sentence is a fragment?

• A. Caitlin is taller than I.
• B. The book is on the table.
• C. Because she slept late.
• D. Caitlin ran quickly.

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is whether a sentence expresses a complete thought. A fragment is an incomplete thought that cannot stand alone as a sentence because it’s missing an independent clause.

The sentence that starts with Because is a fragment because “Because she slept late” is a dependent clause; it signals there’s more information needed to complete the thought. Without an independent clause to finish the idea, it cannot stand as a sentence. If you attach a main clause, it becomes complete, for example: “Because she slept late, she woke up late.”

The other sentences form complete thoughts on their own. They have a clear subject and predicate and express a full idea without needing extra information.