The Sentence: 1.1

The Sentence: 1.1What is a sentence?What is a sentence fragment?

A sentence is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.A sentence expresses a complete thought.A sentence starts with a capital letter.A sentence ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point.

What is a sentence?

Sean was chosen captain of his soccer team.Have you ever seen a Broadway musical?What a thrilling adventure we had!Stop! (the understood subject is you)Sentence Examples

A sentence fragment is a group of words.A sentence fragment does not have both a subject and verbAnd/OrA sentence fragment does not express a complete thought.

What is a sentence fragment?

Was a well-known ragtime pianist.This group of words has a verb (was), but the subject is missing. Who was a well-known ragtime pianist?

A butterfly with bright blue wings.This group of words has a subject (butterfly), but the verb is missing. What did the butterfly do?Sentence Fragment Examples

Changing a Sentence Fragment to a SentenceSentence FragmentEven though she had worked a long time.

This group of words has a subject (she), but it does not express a complete thought. What happened even though she had worked a long time?SentenceLouise Nevelson had not completed the sculpture even though she had worked on it a long time.

Tell whether the following groups of words is sentence or a sentence fragment.

If it is a sentence, identify the subject and the verb. Ask yourself--- what/who is this about? Ask yourself--- what is the subject doing?

If it is a sentence fragment, identify the part that is missing.Practice Examples

Can you name the famous woman in the picture below?

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?Practice #1

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?This is a complete sentence.

If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?The subject of this sentence is you because it answers the question: who or what is this about? Its about you answering the question.The verb or action of this sentence is name because it answers the question: what are you doing? You are naming the woman in the picture below.

Answer to Practice #1:Can you name the famous woman in the picture below?

A woman who made history.

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?

Practice #2

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?This is a sentence fragment.

If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?This is missing both the subject and the verb. This fragment is describing someone, but does not answer the questions: who or what is this about? What did they do?

Answer to Practice #2:A woman who made history.

A woman who made history.

You could make this a sentence by adding the following:Sacagawea was a woman who made history.

Who or what is this about? SacagaweaWhat did the subject do? Was (the to be verb formmore to come later!)

How can you change this sentence fragment into a sentence?

Even with all of that work, he still failed his class.

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?

Practice #3

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?This is a sentence.

If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?The subject of the sentence is he because it answers the question: who is this about?

The verb/action is failed because it answers the question: what was he doing?

Answer to Practice #3:Even with all of that work, he still failed his class.

Had never visited another country.

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?

Practice #4

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?This is a sentence fragment.

If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?There is no subject because there is no answer to: who or what is this about?There is a verb, visited because it answers the question: what was (subject) doing?

Answer to Practice #4:Had never visited another country.

Had never visited another country.

Sarah had never visited another country.

Who or what is this about? SarahWhat was this subject doing? visited

How can you change this sentence fragment into a sentence?

Stamps with pictures of animals or famous people.

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?If its a sentence, what is the subject? The verb?If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?

Practice #5

Is this a sentence or a sentence fragment?This is a sentence fragment.

If this is a sentence fragment, what part is missing?There is no subject or verb in this fragment because it does not answer the questions: who or what did this? What did they do?

Answer to Practice #5:Stamps with pictures of animals or famous people.

Stamps with pictures of animals or famous people.

At the post office you can buy stamps with pictures of animals or famous people.

Who or what is this about? You

What is the subject doing? buy

How can you turn this sentence fragment into a sentence?

Please complete and turn in all 3 of the following practice exercises.You can print this out or get copies from the teacher.Complete this practice on identifying sentences and sentence fragments.Complete this sentence on identifying sentences and revising sentence fragments.Complete this practice on writing interesting sentences using sentence fragments.

Graded Written Practice