2. Complete Sentences
To be complete, a sentence must have
a subject
and
a verb
and
express a completed idea.
Note: It has a capital letter at the beginning and a period
at the end. (Period = full stop)
3. Sentence
What is a complete sentence? A complete
sentence is not merely a group of words with a
capital letter at the beginning and a period or
question mark at the end. A complete sentence
has three components:
a subject (the actor in the sentence)
a predicate (the verb or action), and
a complete thought (it can stand alone and make
sense—it's independent).
4. Example:
•My homework is taking every waking hour.
Complete sentence!
INCLUDES
•Subject (My homework)
•Verb (is taking)
and
•Expresses a complete idea (I’m tired!)
5. Example:
•John waited for the bus all morning in the
rain last Tuesday. Complete sentence!
INCLUDES
•Subject (John)
•Verb (waited for)
and
•Expresses a complete idea (He waited long)
6. So all you have to remember
is:
A sentence is not complete or correct,
unless
It has a subject,
it has a verb,
and it expresses a completed
idea.
7. Fragments
A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence.
Some fragments are incomplete because they
lack either a subject or a verb, or both.The
fragments that most students have trouble with,
however, are dependent clauses
They have a subject and a verb, so they look like
complete sentences, but they don't express a
complete thought.They're called "dependent"
because they can't stand on their own.
8. Fragments (Examples)
Look at these dependent clauses.They're just begging
for more information to make the thoughts complete:
Because his car was in the shop (What did he do?)
After the rain stops (What then?)
When you finally take the test (What will happen?)
Since you asked (Will you get the answer?)
If you want to go with me (What should you do?)
9. Fragments
My math homework.
No VERB: Doesn’t express the action
Taking every waking hour.
No SUBJECT: Doesn’t explain who or what
No COMPLETED IDEA. Because of this,
what?
Because my math homework is taking every
waking hour.
10. Common Fragment Types
APPOSITIVE PHRASE: Words that explain or
add extra information
I tried everything I could think of to get an A.
Such as bribing the professor.
I tried everything I could think of to get an A,
such as bribing the professor.
Correct
11. Common Fragment Types
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
I hope to complete the requirements for my
major. By the end of next semester.
I hope to complete the requirements for my
major by the end of next semester.
Correct
12. Common Fragment Types
INCOMPLETEVERBS: past or present
participles without the helping verb
The student sleeping in the back row.
The student was sleeping in the back row.
Correct
13. Common Fragment Types
Dependent Clause: Group of words that contains a
subject and verb but doesn’t express a complete thought
because of the beginning word.
I kept working on my essay. Although I was tired.
I kept working on my essay, although I was tired.
Correct