English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on?
Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on?
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify whether a group of words featuring an irregular plural noun is a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on.
Define the three essential parts of a complete sentence: a subject, a predicate, and a complete thought.
Correct a sentence fragment by adding a subject or a predicate.
Correct a run-on sentence by using a period or a comma with a conjunction.
Use irregular plural nouns (like children, mice, feet) correctly as the subject of a sentence.
Write original, complex sentences using at least two different irregular plural nouns.
The geese flew south the men watched them go. Does that sound right to you? 🤔 Let's learn how to make our sentences about tricky words like *geese* and *men* super clear!
In this lesson, you will become a sentence...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Complete SentenceA group of words that has a subject, a predicate, and expresses a complete thought. It's a whole idea.The children played tag at recess.
Sentence FragmentAn incomplete sentence. It's a piece of a sentence that is missing a subject, a predicate, or both.The mice in the kitchen.
Run-on SentenceTwo or more complete sentences that are joined together without the correct punctuation or connecting word.The sheep are in the meadow the geese are by the pond.
SubjectThe part of the sentence that tells who or what the sentence is about.In the sentence 'The women sang a song,' the subject is 'The women'.
PredicateThe part of the sentence that tells what the subject is or does. It always has a verb.In the sentence 'The women sa...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The S + P = C Formula
Subject + Predicate = Complete Sentence
To be a complete sentence, a group of words must have a subject (who or what) and a predicate (what the subject does or is). If one is missing, it's a fragment.
The Stop Sign Rule
End one complete thought before starting a new one.
Use a period (.), question mark (?), or exclamation point (!) to end a sentence. This is the easiest way to fix a run-on sentence.
The Conjunction Connection
Complete Sentence + , + Conjunction + Complete Sentence
You can connect two complete sentences into one longer, correct sentence by using a comma and a connecting word like 'and', 'but', or 'so'.
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
Which group of words is a complete sentence?
A.The story of the brave children who saved the lost sheep, a tale told for generations in the small village.
B.The women discussed the plan, however, the men had a different idea, so the people voted on the best option.
C.While the mice scurried through the walls of the old house, the family, unaware of their tiny guests, slept soundly.
D.The fungi that grew after the rain and the many species of insects that were attracted to it.
Challenging
Read the group of words below. Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on sentence?
"The criteria for the contest were very strict, only two people met all the requirements, their presentations were amazing."
A.It is a complete sentence.
B.It is a fragment.
C.It is a run-on sentence.
D.It is a complex sentence.
Challenging
Which of the following is a fragment?
A.The children, after brushing their teeth and putting on their pajamas, were finally ready for a bedtime story.
B.The geese, whose loud honking woke the men sleeping in the nearby tent.
C.The women walked to the park, and their feet were sore when they returned.
D.The people wanted change, so they elected a new leader.
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