1. Writing Complete Sentences
Language Network
Writing Complete Sentences

2. Writing Complete Sentences
Here’s the Idea
Sentence Fragments
Why It Matters
Practice and Apply

3. What should I do on Saturday night?
Here’s the Idea
What should I do on Saturday night?

4. Here’s the Idea
Online Restaurant Review
Enjoy a virtual tour of Italy in Marcelo and Theresa Cellini’s trendy restaurant. The tour takes you through the romantic city of Venice, the architecture of Rome, and the busy streets of Florence. After you walk through the lifelike scenes, you can enjoy the authentic pizza creations.
—Margo Reter

5. Here are the notes the reviewer took at the restaurant.
Here’s the Idea
Here are the notes the reviewer took at the restaurant.
La Cucina Italiana
A virtual tour of Italy. Marcelo and Theresa Cellini’s trendy restaurant. The tour takes you through the romantic city of Venice, the architecture of Rome, and the busy streets of Florence, after you walk through the lifelike scenes, you can enjoy the authentic pizza creations.
Why are the notes harder to understand than her completed review?

6. Here’s the Idea
In the finished review, the reviewer got her message across by using complete sentences.
Notes:
A virtual tour of Italy.
Marcelo and Theresa Cellini’s trendy restaurant.
FINISHED REVIEW
Enjoy a virtual tour of Italy in Marcelo and Theresa Cellini’s trendy restaurant.

7. As you write and revise, ask yourself—
Here’s the Idea
As you write and revise, ask yourself—
Does each sentence express a complete thought?
Have I accidentally combined two or more ideas?

8. Here’s the Idea
Sentence Fragment
A sentence fragment is a part of a sentence that is punctuated as if it were a complete sentence.

9. Sometimes a fragment occurs because the subject or verb is left out.
Here’s the Idea
Sometimes a fragment occurs because the subject or verb is left out.
STUDENT MODEL
Pizza has a long and colorful history. According to legend, the tomato-based pizza its start in In the United States opened in New York City in 1905.
DRAFT
MISSING VERB
MISSING SUBJECT

10. Here’s the Idea
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
Pizza has a long and colorful history. According to legend, the tomato-based pizza its start in In the United States opened in New York City in 1905.
REVISION
Pizza has a long and colorful history. According to legend, the tomato-based pizza got its start in The first pizzeria in the United States opened in New York City in 1905.

11. A phrase that stands alone is a fragment.
Here’s the Idea
A phrase that stands alone is a fragment.
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
The next milestone in the history of pizza occurred. After World War II.
FRAGMENT

12. Here’s the Idea
STUDENT MODEL
FRAGMENT
DRAFT
The next milestone in the history of pizza occurred. After World War II.
COMPLETE SENTENCE
REVISION
The next milestone in the history of pizza occurred after World War II.

13. Here’s the Idea
Fragments often occur because a subordinate clause is mistaken for a complete sentence.
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
Merchants claimed tea could cure headaches, sleepiness, and even paralysis. When tea was first sold in England in the 1600s.
FRAGMENT

14. Here’s the Idea
CLAUSE
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
Merchants claimed tea could cure headaches, sleepiness, and even paralysis. When tea was first sold in England in the 1600s.
REVISION
When tea was first sold in England in the 1600s, merchants claimed it could cure headaches, sleepiness, and even paralysis.

15. Why It Matters
A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought. It is missing important information.

16. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Because she has always loved swimming. 1.

17. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
In the pool. 2.

18. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Before Lisa could be a lifeguard. 3.

19. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Makes sure all the swimmers are safe. 4.

20. Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
Practice and Apply
Rewrite the fragment as a complete sentence.
She the dog paddle, the backstroke, and the crawl. 5.

21. Writing Complete Sentences
Here’s the Idea
Run-On Sentences
Why It Matters
Practice and Apply

22. Here’s the Idea
Run-On Sentence
A run-on sentence is two or more sentences written incorrectly as one.

23. What is wrong with this sentence?
Here’s the Idea
What is wrong with this sentence?
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
Pineapples probably originated in what is now Brazil Spanish explorers called them piñas because they thought the fruit looked like a pine cone.
The passage is actually two sentences written incorrectly as one.

24. Here’s the Idea
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
Pineapples probably originated in what is now Brazil Spanish explorers called them piñas because they thought the fruit looked like a pine cone.
REVISION
Pineapples probably originated in what is now Brazil. Spanish explorers called them piñas because they thought the fruit looked like a pine cone.

25. Here’s the Idea
Sometimes a run-on sentence is missing correct punctuation or a conjunction.
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
The tomato has had many names, the Aztecs called it tomatl some English people called it “tommytoe” when it was introduced there.

26. Here’s the Idea
STUDENT MODEL
DRAFT
The tomato has had many names, the Aztecs called it tomatl some English people called it “tommytoe” when it was introduced there.
REVISION
The tomato has had many names. The Aztecs called it tomatl, and some English people called it “tommytoe” when it was introduced there.

27. Why It Matters
As you revise your writing, use correct punctuation and conjunctions to make it clear where one idea ends and another begins.

28. Correct this run-on sentence.
Practice and Apply
Correct this run-on sentence.
Most students use computers now many are using them to earn money. 6.

29. Correct this run-on sentence.
Practice and Apply
Correct this run-on sentence.
A teenager started a business designing Web pages his first customer was an author. 7.

30. Correct this run-on sentence.
Practice and Apply
Correct this run-on sentence.
Teens used to set up lemonade stands to make money, now they can use computers. 8.

31. Correct this run-on sentence.
Practice and Apply
Correct this run-on sentence.
Children want to learn computer skills, many parents do not have the time to teach them. 9.

32. Correct this run-on sentence.
Practice and Apply
Correct this run-on sentence.
Many teenagers have been using computers all their lives they have an advantage in creating computer-related businesses.
10.