Grammar Focus: Complete Sentences vs. Sentence Fragments A complete sentence contains a subject (noun) and a verb. It expresses a complete thought. Noun: a person place, thing, or idea Verb: tells what action someone or something is performing Subject: the word or group of words that names the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action or is described.

Examples of Complete Sentences I spilled black ink on the floor. Mr. Drewery spoke to our class. Her news article appeared on the front page today. The Aggies beat Mizzou on Saturday night. Johnny Manziel is a good candidate for the Heisman.

Examples of Sentence Fragments A visit to the counseling office. Heard the phone ring. Walking down the street. Thanksgiving meal on the table. Wrote a poem to be published in the magazine.

On Your Own… We enjoyed the baseball game. Ducks near the pond. Label each group of words S for sentence or F for fragment. For each S (sentence) circle the subject and underline the verb. Rewrite each F (fragment) as a complete sentence with a subject and a verb. We enjoyed the baseball game. Ducks near the pond. In the evening, after sunset. The storm arrived quickly. Leaving the basketball game now. The garden in full bloom.

ANSWERS We enjoyed the baseball game. S Label each group of words S for sentence or F for fragment. For each S (sentence) circle the subject and underline the verb. Rewrite each F (fragment) as a complete sentence with a subject and a verb. We enjoyed the baseball game. S Ducks near the pond. F Ducks near the pond quacked loudly. In the evening, after sunset. F In the evening, after sunset we eat dinner. The storm arrived quickly. S Leaving the basketball game now. F James is leaving the basketball game now. The garden in full bloom. F I saw the garden in full bloom.