SENTENCE AND FRAGMENTS
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)
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).
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!)
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)
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.
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.
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?)
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.
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
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
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
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
EXERCISES
Walking through
the dark forest.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
Bob was running in
the yard.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
All of the other
girls at the mall.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
I have walked to
school everyday.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
My arm hurts a
little.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
A big crowd of
people have arrived.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
What a day for a
party!
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
Even though it was
late and very dark.
a)Complete Sentence
b)Fragment
Sorry! Click the arrow
below to try again.
Yes, that is correct! Click
the arrow to move on.
Fixing a fragment
 John took the bus.
 John took the bus because his car was in the
shop

Sentence fragments grade 6

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Complete Sentences To becomplete, 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 isa 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 istaking every waking hour. Complete sentence! INCLUDES •Subject (My homework) •Verb (is taking) and •Expresses a complete idea (I’m tired!)
  • 5.
    Example: •John waited forthe 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 youhave 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 sentencefragment 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)  Lookat 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 APPOSITIVEPHRASE: 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 PREPOSITIONALPHRASE  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 DependentClause: 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
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Walking through the darkforest. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 16.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 17.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 18.
    Bob was runningin the yard. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 19.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 20.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 21.
    All of theother girls at the mall. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 22.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 23.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 24.
    I have walkedto school everyday. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 25.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 26.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 27.
    My arm hurtsa little. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 28.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 29.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 30.
    A big crowdof people have arrived. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 31.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 32.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 33.
    What a dayfor a party! a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 34.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 35.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 36.
    Even though itwas late and very dark. a)Complete Sentence b)Fragment
  • 37.
    Sorry! Click thearrow below to try again.
  • 38.
    Yes, that iscorrect! Click the arrow to move on.
  • 39.
    Fixing a fragment John took the bus.  John took the bus because his car was in the shop