This document provides information and examples about sentence structure and fragments. It states that sentences must have a capital letter, ending punctuation, a subject and verb, and express a complete idea. It then gives examples of proper sentences and identifies fragments that are missing subjects or verbs or do not express a complete thought. It concludes by explaining the three reasons a sentence may be considered a fragment: lacking a subject, verb, or expressing an incomplete thought.

2. Sentences must have a capital letter at
the beginning of the sentence.
Sentences must have an ending mark
such as a period, exclamation point, or
a question mark.
They must have a noun or subject,
such as a person, place, thing, or idea.
They must have a verb or action word.
Sentences must express a complete
idea.

3.  The first letter of a sentence
 “I”
 days, months, and holidays
 names of people and places, titles of people
 buildings and other structures
 organizations and other groups of people
 historical events and documents
 titles of books, games, newspapers,
magazines, movies, plays, television shows,
works of art, etc.

4. the children were playing in the
park
do you know that girl’s name
jose plays the guitar
this is the best birthday ever
Slammed the door and left.

5. The children were playing in the
park.
Do you know that girl’s name?
Jose plays the guitar.
This is the best birthday ever!
Jessica slammed the door and left.
(This sentence was missing a subject,
so we have to add one.)

6.  Sentence fragments occur for three reasons:
 When a sentence is lacking a subject, it is a fragment.
For example: And yawned loudly enough to make
everyone in class turn around. (We do not know who
yawned loudly, therefore this sentence is missing a
subject and is a fragment.)
 When a sentence is lacking a verb, it is a fragment. For
example: The birch trees with their rattling yellow
leaves. (We do not know what the birch trees are
doing, so the sentence is lacking a verb.)
 When a sentence does not express a complete thought,
then it is a fragment. Because tuition increased again
this semester. (We do not know what happened as a
result of the tuition increase, so the sentence does not
express a complete thought and is therefore a
fragment.)