Sentence and Sentence Fragments

Front

What is a complete sentence?

Back

A complete sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains at least a subject and a verb.

Front

What is a sentence fragment?

Back

A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought and is missing either a subject, a verb, or both.

Front

Identify the main difference between a complete sentence and a sentence fragment.

Back

The main difference is that a complete sentence expresses a complete thought, while a sentence fragment does not.

Front

What is an example of a complete sentence?

Back

"Zoologists call the American buffalo a bison." is an example of a complete sentence.

Front

What is an example of a sentence fragment?

Back

"Brought to America by the Spanish." is an example of a sentence fragment.

Front

How can you identify a sentence fragment?

Back

A sentence fragment can often be identified by its lack of a subject or verb, or by its inability to stand alone as a complete thought.

Front

What role does a subject play in a complete sentence?

Back

The subject of a complete sentence tells who or what the sentence is about.

Front

What role does a verb play in a complete sentence?

Back

The verb in a complete sentence expresses the action or state of being of the subject.

Front

Can a sentence fragment be a complete thought?

Back

No, a sentence fragment cannot be a complete thought; it leaves the reader wanting more information.

Front

What is a common mistake students make when identifying sentence fragments?

Back

A common mistake is thinking that a group of words that starts with a capital letter and ends with a period is a complete sentence.