Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on?

Key Notes:

Complete Sentence:

  1. Definition: A complete sentence has a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought.
  2. Structure:
    • Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about.
    • Predicate: The action or state of being related to the subject.
    • Complete Thought: It must convey a full idea and stand alone logically.
  3. Examples:
    • “The dog barked loudly.”
    • “She enjoys reading books.”

Fragment:

  1. Definition: A fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It often lacks a subject, predicate, or both.
  2. Common Issues:
    • Missing Subject: “When we went to the store.”
    • Missing Predicate: “The children, after the rain.”
    • Dependent Clauses: Fragments can be incomplete clauses that cannot stand alone.
  3. Examples:
    • “Because I said so.” (Lacks a complete idea)
    • “Running through the park.” (Missing a subject or verb)

Run-On Sentence:

  1. Definition: A run-on sentence incorrectly joins two or more independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
  2. Types:
    • Comma Splice: Incorrectly uses a comma to join independent clauses.
    • Example: “I went to the store, I bought some milk.”
    • Fused Sentence: Joins independent clauses with no punctuation.
    • Example: “I went to the store I bought some milk.”
  3. Correction:
    • Using a Period: Separate into two sentences.
    • Example: “I went to the store. I bought some milk.”
    • Using a Semicolon: Connect closely related clauses.
    • Example: “I went to the store; I bought some milk.”
    • Using a Comma with a Conjunction: Use a comma followed by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
    • Example: “I went to the store, and I bought some milk.”

Identification Strategies

  • Complete Sentence: Check for a subject and predicate that together make a complete thought.
  • Fragment: Look for missing elements or incomplete thoughts.
  • Run-On Sentence: Identify if there are multiple independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunction.

Let’s try some problems! ✍️