Complete Sentences vs Fragments

A complete sentence consists of...

• a subject

• a verb

• a complete thought

Tags

CCSS.L.2.1F

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1J

CCSS.L.7.1B

Why is the sentence below a fragment?

Reading the essay.

• It is missing a subject.

• It is missing a verb.

• It is missing a complete thought.

• None of the answers apply.

Answer explanation

We need to know WHO is reading the essay, so this "sentence" is missing a subject. If YOU are reading the essay (e.g., you are the subject), there needs be ARE before the verb READING to make the verb complete.

You are reading the essay.

In the sentence example below which word is the verb?

The student edits his essay.

Answer explanation

If the action is in real-time, the verb can become a verb phrase with a helping verb and the main action verb:

The student is reading his essay.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.1.1E

CCSS.L.1.4C

CCSS.L.2.6

CCSS.L.4.1B

In the following sentence, which word is the subject?

Proofreading is the final stage of the writing process.

• proofreading

• the final stage

• the writing process

• the final stage of the writing process

Answer explanation

Tip 1: To find the subject, locate the main verb and decide what/who is doing the action.

Tip 2: Ignore prepositional phrases (of, to, over, under) which are usually attached to objects--not subjects.

Proofreading is the final stage of the writing process.

Tags

CCSS.L.2.1F

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.3.1I

CCSS.L.1.1C

CCSS.L.3.1F

Which part of the writing sample below is a fragment/incomplete sentence?

To fix a fragment, you can often attach it to the sentence before or after it.

Which is easy to do.

• To fix a fragment,

• To fix a fragment, you can often attach it to the sentence before or after it.

• Which is easy to do.

Answer explanation

Just add a comma before "which" and make it one complete sentence!

Which word in the sentence below is the subject?

Another reader can help you catch errors in your essay.

• Another reader

• you

• your essay

• errors

Answer explanation

Reminder: The subject is what or who is doing the main action (the verb) in the sentence.

Which sentence below is a fragment/incomplete sentence?

• Writing skills are valuable in the workforce.

• Which is why proofreading is important.

• Fragments occur in many early drafts.

• For example, editing shows attention to detail.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.1F

Which of the following word groups is a fragment?

(A) Maria was not watching her plate of barbecue very carefully. (B) So Santana, the family beagle, snatched a chicken leg hanging over the edge. (C) As baked beans and potato salad slid onto Maria's new sandals.

• (A) Maria was not watching her plate of barbecue very carefully.

• (B) So Santana, the family beagle, snatched a chicken leg hanging over the edge.

• (C) As baked beans and potato salad slid onto Maria's new sandals.

• None of these word groups is a fragment.

Which of the following word groups are complete sentences?

(A) Ever since Andre peeked at Melissa's paper during the biology exam. (B) Guilt has consumed him. (C) Even the blueberries floating in his cereal bowl seem like the accusing eyes of Professor Gregory, his biology instructor.

• (A) Ever since Andre peeked at Melissa's paper during the biology exam.

• (B) Guilt has consumed him.

• (C) Even the blueberries floating in his cereal bowl seem like the accusing eyes of Professor Gregory, his biology instructor.

• All of these word groups are complete sentences.

Which word group is a fragment?

(A) Joshua found the pressure from the gas in his stomach unbearable. (B) Although he did not want to be rude in the middle of geology class. (C) An explosive belch erupted from his mouth.

• (A) Joshua found the pressure from the gas in his stomach unbearable.

• (B) Although he did not want to be rude in the middle of geology class.

• (C) An explosive belch erupted from his mouth.

• These are all complete sentences.