Writing in Complete Sentences

Writing in Complete Sentences

What does "Answer the question in a complete sentence" actually mean?

What does a complete sentence need to include:

• Start each sentence with a CAPITAL letter

• Begin each sentence with a "sentence starter" this is when you restate the question stem in your own words

• After the sentence starter you answer the question

• End each sentence with a PUNCTUATION mark

• BAM YOU HAVE A COMPLETE SENTENCE!

Multiple Choice

What do you need for a complete sentence?

• Punctuation at the end

• First letter needs to be capitalized

• Restate the Question

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses correct capitalization?

• he ran down the road.

• he ran down the road

• Sam ran down the road.

• sam ran down the road

Use a "sentence starter" to start your answer:

• Restate the question to answer the question... in other words put the question in the answer!

• You can do this by finding the question stem, and rewriting it in answer form.

• Example: Where was Little Red Riding Hood Going? The question stem is "Little Red Riding Hood is going to..."

• Example: Why didn't Goldilocks like Papa Bear's chair? The question stem is "Goldilocks didn't like Papa Bear's chair because..."

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses the question stem to the following question: What bed did Goldilocks find to be just right?

• she thought Baby Bear's bed was just right

• the girl thought his bed was just right

• Goldilocks found Baby Bear's bed to be just right.

• Goldilocks liked the last bed.

After the sentence starter you answer the question:

• Question: Where was Little Red Riding Hood Going?

• Answer: Little Red Riding Hood is going to visit her grandmother.

• Question: Why didn't Goldilocks like Papa Bear's chair?

• Answer: Goldilocks didn't like Papa Bear's chair because she thought it was too hard.

Multiple Choice

Which answer uses correct punctuation?

• Little Red Riding Hood went to see her grandmother?

• Little Red Riding Hood went to see her grandmother.

• Little Red Riding Hood went to see her grandmother

• Little Red Riding Hood went to see her grandmother!

DON'T-

• DON'T start a sentence with the word "because" as the reader does not what who or what you referencing. Who or what are you talking about? Use the question stem.

• DON'T start a sentence with the words "he" "she" "it" this is unclear to the read who or what you are talking about. Who are you talking about? Use the person's name and use the question stem.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following should you NOT start a sentence with?

• He

• She

• Him

• It

• All of the above

Examples of INCOMPLETE sentences:

• He doesn’t think highly of his intelligence and he is very large.

• He is foreshadowing, but also saying that we can remember things however we want to.

• Because he has crutches and that makes him smaller than kids his age.

• It is his grandparents don’t like him and that he is not around for some reason. 

• NONE OF THESE ANSWERS GIVE THE READER ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOPIC.

Multiple Choice

Which is not a complete sentence?

• A bird the size of a house

• A big bird picked him up.

• The mom bird took him to its nest.

• The bird was hungry.

Instead Try This:

• What can we infer about the narrator based on the first few paragraphs? 

• We can infer that the narrator doesn’t think highly of his intelligence and that he is very large based on the first few paragraphs.

• How does the author describe the setting of where Max lives? Why do you think he takes the time to do this? 

• The author describes the setting as dim and dark. The author wants us to understand Max better, who is raising him, and what his life is like for him.