What defines a fragment in writing?

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A fragment in writing is defined as an incomplete sentence that lacks a main clause. This means it does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. A main clause typically contains a subject and a verb and conveys a full idea. For example, "Although I was tired" is a fragment because it introduces a dependent clause but does not provide a complete thought on its own; it leaves the reader expecting more information.

In contrast, the other options clarify different concepts: an entire correct sentence conveys a complete thought (not a fragment), a question without an answer doesn't specifically relate to sentence structure and can still be grammatically correct, and a phrase used for emphasis can be a complete or incomplete element depending on how it's used but does not directly pertain to the definition of a fragment. Therefore, identifying a fragment requires recognizing its lack of finished structure, which is well encapsulated by the notion of an incomplete sentence lacking a main clause.