Complete Sentence

• Definition: A complete sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. It contains at least a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as an independent clause.
• Characteristics:
• Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about.
• Predicate: The verb or verb phrase that tells what the subject does or what is done to the subject.
• Complete Thought: The sentence must make sense on its own.
• Examples:
• “The cat sleeps on the couch.”
• “She enjoys reading books.”
• “The sun is shining brightly.”

Fragment

• Definition: A fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It may lack a subject, a predicate, or both, and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
• Characteristics:
• Missing Subject: The group of words does not tell who or what the sentence is about.
• Missing Predicate: The group of words does not tell what the subject does or what is done to the subject.
• Incomplete Thought: The group of words may leave the reader wondering what happened or what the subject is doing.
• Examples:
• “Because it was raining.” (Fragment lacks a main clause; it leaves the reader wondering what happened because of the rain.)
• “Running down the street.” (Fragment lacks a subject and a complete verb; it doesn’t tell who was running.)
• “After the movie.” (Fragment lacks a complete thought; it leaves the reader wondering what happened after the movie.)

Tips for Identifying Complete Sentences and Fragments

Look for a Subject and Predicate:

• Ensure that the group of words includes both a subject and a predicate. If either is missing, it’s likely a fragment.

Check for a Complete Thought:

• Ask yourself if the group of words makes sense on its own. If it doesn’t, it’s probably a fragment.

Be Cautious with Dependent Clauses:

• A dependent clause (e.g., “Because she was late”) is a fragment because it depends on additional information to form a complete sentence. Make sure there’s an independent clause present.

Beware of Punctuation:

• Sometimes, fragments are punctuated as if they were complete sentences. For example, “In the morning.” may appear to be a sentence, but it’s actually a fragment because it lacks a complete thought.

Compound Sentences:

• Even in compound sentences, each independent clause must have its own subject and predicate to be considered a complete sentence.

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