Curing Sentence Fragments, Exercises

Mark which verbs are participle verbs and which are standard verbs. Also circle the suffix of the participle verbs.

1. laughing

2. happen

3. played

4. twisted

5. rationalized

6. talk

7. sauntering

8. casting

9. lifted

10. drawing

11. eaten

Mark the verb participle. Mark an S if the participle is being used as subject, and Mark a V if is being used as verb.

1. The ogre was sauntering up to Mia.

2. Playing tricks on sorceresses was the ogre's favorite pastime.

3. The ogre lifted his finger in the air.

4. The ogre was planning to turn Mia into a lizard.

5. Talking to the ogre gently did not change his mind.

7. Laughing was how the ogre responded to Mia's pleas.

6. Mia was twisting a staff in her hands.

7. What was happening?

8. The ogre was rationalizing that Mia was small so she was harmless.

9. Rationalizing was not a good idea.

10. Mia was casting a spell on the ogre.

11. Turning ogres into lizards was Mia's favorite pastime.

Mark with an F the sentence fragments.

1. Sauntering down the woods path.

2. Rationalizing wrongly can cause ogres problems.

3. Lifting a finger in the air can mean many things.

4. Playing a harp.

5. Was the ogre playing a harp?

6. Casting a lizard spell.

7. Mia was happily sauntering away from the ogre.

8. At first, the ogre was laughing.

9. Later Mia was laughing.

10. Twisting the situation to her advantage made Mia laugh.

11. Laughing very, very hard.