Complete Sentences Fragments and Runons ENG99 Sentences are

Complete Sentences: Fragments and Run-ons ENG-99

Sentences are complete thoughts! • Even complicated sentences are made up of one central idea that may be expressed in a complex manner and utilize all manner of large, multisyllabic words that precisely and completely convey a single, significant message. • Basic sentence? • Sentences are Subject noun! Predicate Verb!

Two Basic Errors in Sentence Writing • A fragment is less than a complete thought – In the deep, dark woods. – Proofreader mark: FRAG • A run-on is more than a complete thought (2 + independent clauses) – I like cake and ice cream but I don’t like it on the same plate, I have a lot of favorite foods, often, I don’t want them to touch. – Proofreader mark: R/O

To Fix a Fragment • Add words to make it a complete thought The Romantics and imagination. ! G A FR The Romantics admired human imagination. E T E L P M O C ! T H G U O TH

To Fix a Runon • Stop the sentence after one complete thought with a period. – My favorite monster has to be Frankenstein. In the book though, the doctor is called Frankenstein and his creation is just called the “creature” or the “monster. ” • Use a conjunction. (FANBOYS) – No Godzilla jokes please, for the people of Japan are really suffering right now. • Use a semicolon ; – I killed the monster with a mop; I deserve a trophy. – Only use a semicolon when the two sentences are closely related

So remember… • Sentences are complete thoughts • They must contain a subject noun and a predicate/verb • Get good at identifying both so you can avoid fragments (which don’t have one or the other) and run-ons (which have too many of both) • Let’s practice! – Handout – www. chomp. com