Help with Sentences!?

Question

I need to know if these are complex, compund, run-on,simple, or fragment sentences. Please help me!

1) Recognizing a problem is the first step toward solving it.

2) If the members of our team had cooperated the opposition which was well trained but uninspired.

3) After lunch the little girls played jacks or jumped rope.

4) Planting the roses was a difficult task but spraying them for aphids was arduous.

5)Bill enjoyed good music however he could not afford to attend the concert therefore he stayed home.

6) If somebody wishes to volunteer we will begin.

Thank You, any help would be appriciated. I'm trying to help a friend but I first have to understand what I'm doing:)

Answer 1

1.) simple

2.) fragment

3.) complex

4.) compound

5.) runon

6.) complex

Fragments and runons are easy to recognize because they're poorly constructed.

Complex sentences have conditional subordinators (after, if, because, when)

Compound sentences are two thoughts joined by a conjuction (and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so)

RE: Renee

It's not a fragment.  The sentence IS complete, even if the specifics aren't given.  "We will begin" is a complete thought.

I don't know who gave the thumbs down, but believe me, I know wtf I'm talking about.  I spent four years nitpicking the English language; I think I know a fragment when I ****ing see one.  I didn't spend twelve terms with my head stuck in these books just to come out uncertain about my facts.

If your teacher argues that it IS a fragment because not all the information is given, then s/he needs to review the definition of a complete sentence.

Adding information like "at 10" or "soon" is part of a prepositional phrase, which is an optional element.  Without the prepositional phrase, information is assumed, which is allowed.  "Let's begin" is a complete sentence, and we know that the speaker means "begin now", even though it is not specified.  It's not improper English; it's completely acceptable.

----THANK YOU, FARREN!

Answer 2

6.)"If somebody wishes to volunteer we will begin" is a complex sentence because it has the two verbs and two subjects.  "We will begin" can exist as a sentence on its own, but "If someone wishes to volunteer" definitely needs to be linked with another clause (such as "we will begin") to be considered valid.

Answer 3

Zoe is right except for #6 I think it would be a fragment. It doesn't say when. I believe it should say something to the effect of: If somebody wishes to volunteer we will begin (soon, at 10:00). Those things should complete the sentence.