What is a sentence fragment?
A complete sentence needs a subject (who or what), a verb (what they do or are) and a complete thought. A fragment is missing one of them, even though it starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Common fragments are:
- Dependent clauses: "Because I was late." Fix: "I missed the bus because I was late."
- -ing phrases: "Walking to school in the rain." Fix: "I was walking to school in the rain."
- Missing verbs: "The new phone with the bigger screen." Fix: "The new phone with the bigger screen sells out fast."
Commands such as "Sit down." are complete, because the subject "you" is understood. Fragments can be used on purpose in adverts, fiction and speech, but in essays and formal writing they are usually marked as errors.
This checker uses simple grammar rules, not AI, so treat it as a helpful prompt rather than a final verdict. It runs privately in your browser. To check the length of your sentences, try the sentence counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a fragment?
"Because it was raining." It has a subject and verb but is not a complete thought.
How do I fix a fragment?
Join it to a nearby sentence or add the missing subject or verb.
How to use the Fragment or Sentence Checker
- Paste or type your text into the box.
- Watch the counts and results update live.
- Compare them with the limits in the chart below.
- Edit until your text fits, then copy it out.
Why use this Fragment or Sentence Checker
100% in your browser
Nothing you enter is uploaded or stored.
Instant results
Updates as you type, no waiting.
Mobile friendly
Works on phones, tablets and desktops.
Light & dark mode
Follows your mfaysal.com theme.
Free, no account
No sign-up, no limits, no watermark.
Explained
Formulas, tables and sources on the page.
Fragment or Sentence Checker: chart and reference data
Source: UCAS, YouTube Help, Instagram Help, 3GPP TS 23.038 (SMS)
| Where | Limit | Roughly in words* |
|---|---|---|
| SMS (GSM-7, one part) | 160 characters | ≈ 27 |
| X / Twitter post | 280 characters | ≈ 47 |
| YouTube title | 100 characters | ≈ 17 |
| Instagram caption | 2,200 characters | ≈ 367 |
| LinkedIn post | 3,000 characters | ≈ 500 |
| UCAS personal statement | 4,000 characters | ≈ 667 |
* English averages about 4.7 letters per word plus a space, so roughly 6 characters per word. Your text may differ.
Fragment or Sentence Checker compared with the alternatives
| Feature | This tool | Word processor | Typical ad-heavy site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opens instantly | Yes | No (app launch) | Often slow |
| Text stays on your device | Yes | Depends (cloud docs) | Not always |
| Live count while typing | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Free, no account | Yes | Licence or account | Often sign-up prompts |
Who uses it in the UK
- UCAS personal statements and job applications
- Social posts, SMS and ads with strict limits
- Essays and coursework word targets
- SEO titles and meta descriptions
More questions
Does it count emoji correctly?
Yes, the tool counts user-perceived characters where it matters, so most emoji count as one character even though they use several bytes behind the scenes.
Is my text private?
Yes. All processing happens in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing you type or paste is sent to a server or stored.
Does it work with Welsh or other languages?
Yes. The tool works with any Unicode text, including Welsh accents such as ŵ and ŷ, and non-Latin scripts.
Why do different tools give slightly different counts?
Tools disagree on edge cases such as hyphenated words, numbers, URLs and line breaks. This tool explains its rules on the page so you know what is counted.
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Note: This free tool runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent or stored. Results are for information only.