The Parts of a Sentence and Complete Sentences vs. Sentence Fragments.

Parts of a Sentence  Sentences consist of two basic parts:  Subjects and  Predicates.

Parts of a Sentence  The Subject tells whom or what the sentence is about.  Ex. Some residents of the desert can survive a long drought.

Parts of a Sentence  The Predicate tells something about the subject and will contain a verb.  Ex. Some residents of the desert can survive a long drought.

Parts of a Sentence  The subject may come before or after the predicate or between parts of the predicate.  Ex. Particularly noteworthy is the Australian frog.  Ex. For up to three years it can live without rainfall.  Ex. How can an animal survive that long?

Parts of a Sentence  The subject can be described as the simple subject or the complete subject.  Simple Subject = The main word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about  Complete Subject = The simple subject plus any words that modify the simple subject  Ex. “A dog like this is usually nervous.”  Simp. Subj. = “Dog”  Comp. Subj. = “A dog like this”

Parts of a Sentence  The predicate can be described as the simple predicate or as the complete predicate.  Simple Predicate = The verb, or verbs.  Complete Predicate = The verb or verbs and all the words that modify the verb and complete its meaning.  Ex. “She has been looking for you all morning.”  Simp. Pred. = “has been looking”  Comp. Predicate = “has been looking for you all morning.”

Complete Sentence vs. Fragments  Again, a sentence contains a subject and a predicate, and expresses a complete thought.  A sentence fragment is a word or word group that is capitalized and punctuated as a sentence but does not contain both a subject and verb, or does not express a complete thought.

Complete Sentence vs. Fragments  Ex. The magazine’s essay contest for tenth-grade American history students.  Fragment (no verb).  Sentence: The magazine’s essay contest for tenth-grade American history students ends Tuesday.

Complete Sentence vs. Fragments  Ex. Was chosen as the best one from over two thousand entries.  Fragment (no subject).  Sentence: Her essay was chosen as the best one from over two thousand entries.

Complete Sentence vs. Fragments  Ex. When the judges announced the winner.  Fragment (Does not express a complete thought)  Sentence: When the judges announced the winner, everyone applauded.