Hands-on and Kinesthenic Ways to Teach Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences

Teaching Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences

Kids have big ideas and lots to say, but when it comes to putting those ideas on paper, young writers often end up with fragments and run-on sentences. At the elementary level, they’re still learning how to organize their ideas into clear, complete sentences. Even though they can often hear when a sentence is actually a fragment or run-on, they don’t always see it in their own writing. 

That’s why it’s worth putting in the time to focus on sentence structure early on. It helps our young writers learn to communicate their ideas clearly and improve the flow of their writing, all while strengthening their own revising and editing skills. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite ways to teach fragments and run-ons, and a few handy resources to support your learners!

A Quick Review: What Students Need to Know

Before diving into activities, it helps to make sure everyone is using the same language:

A complete sentence:

• Has a subject and a predicate

• Expresses a complete thought

A sentence fragment:

• Is missing a subject, predicate, or complete idea

A run-on sentence:

• Has two or more complete sentences incorrectly joined together

  
  

Hands-On Sorting Activities (Perfect for Visual Learners)

Fragment, Run-On, or Complete Sentence Sort

When teaching fragments and run-ons, it’s best to start with practicing identifying these before asking students to fix them. Once they start to easily recognize them, revising them becomes easier. 

One of my favorite ways to practice identifying fragments and run-ons is with a quick sentence sort. Simply print out or write 3-5 complete sentences, fragments, and run-on sentences on sentence strips and ask students to sort them into the three categories. 

This makes a great center or partner activity, because the best way to recognize a fragment or run-on is to physically hear the sentence out loud.

Kinesthetic Activities to Get Kids Moving

Kids can benefit enormously from movement, and grammar lessons are no exception! Here are a few activities to get kids up and moving while reinforcing writing skills.

Human Sentences

This works best in classrooms or larger groups. Give each student a word or phrase on a card. Have them work together to arrange themselves into a sentence.

Read the sentence aloud. If it’s a fragment, ask: “How can we fix it?” If it’s a run-on, ask: “What should we change/add/remove?” 

Silly sentences work great with this activity too and make it all the more memorable!

Sentence Fix-It Relay

Divide students into teams. Write a fragment or run-on sentence on the board or chart paper. One student from each team runs up, fixes part of the sentence, and tags the next teammate.

Stand Up / Sit Down Sentence Check

Read a sentence aloud and ask students to:

• Stand for a complete sentence

• Crouch for a fragment

• Stretch their arms wide for a run-on

  
  

It’s quick, energetic, and perfect for brain breaks that still reinforce learning!

Literacy Centers and Small-Group Activities

Task Card “Scoot”

Grab a set of task cards, like our Skill-Specific Revising & Editing Fragment and Run-On Sentence Task Cards, and place them around the room. Set a timer and give students time to answer each question before “scooting” to the next!

Sentence Surgery

Students “operate” on sentences by:

• Cutting apart run-ons

• Adding punctuation or conjunctions

• Adding subjects and predicates

  
  

Adding playful tools like plastic tweezers makes this center especially engaging!

Independent Practice Ideas

Sentence Detective Journals

Have students hunt for fragments and run-ons in their own writing or mentor texts. They can record the sentence fragment or run-on, then rewrite it as a complete sentence.

Skill-Specific Revising & Editing Practice

For a targeted assessment or quick check, check out our Sentence Fragments & Run-Ons Skill-Specific Revising and Editing Passage! It includes a short half-page passage and 4 multiple-choice questions formatted like the ones students would see on their state tests. It’s an easy way to end the lesson and get a quick idea of which students understand and who still needs some more practice.

Daily Fix-It Sentences

Over the course of the unit, provide one sentence per day to correct. This works great for morning work or quick exit tickets too! Short, frequent practice adds up. And if you already have a copy of the Fragments & Run-On Sentences Task Cards, you could use these sentences for the daily fix-it activity!

Tips for Parents and Homeschoolers

If you’re working on this skill at home, it’s best to keep lessons short and low-pressure, and use examples from books your child enjoys! And remember, sentence fragments and run-on sentences don’t need to be taught in isolation or mastered all at once. With a consistent mix of hands-on activities, movement, centers, and independent practice, kids gradually develop a strong sense of what just sounds right.

Spiral this skill throughout the year, revisit it during writing units, and celebrate progress along the way!