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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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define a complete sentence, a sentence fragment, and a run-on sentence.
Identify the subject and predicate in a simple sentence.
Distinguish between complete sentences, fragments, and run-ons in a piece of writing.
Correct sentence fragments by adding a missing subject or predicate.
Correct run-on sentences by using proper punctuation and conjunctions.
Construct their own complete sentences, avoiding fragments and run-ons.
Have you ever read a story that felt confusing, like a puzzle with missing pieces or too many pieces jammed together? 🤔 That's what happens when we don't build our sentences correctly!
In this lesson, we'll become sentence detectives! We will learn the three main types of sentences you'll find: complete sentences,...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Complete SentenceA group of words that expresses a complete thought. It must have two key parts: a subject and a predicate.The happy dog wagged its tail.
SubjectThe 'who' or 'what' the sentence is about.In the sentence 'The happy dog wagged its tail,' the subject is 'The happy dog'.
PredicateThe part of the sentence that tells what the subject is or does. It always has a verb.In the sentence 'The happy dog wagged its tail,' the predicate is 'wagged its tail'.
Sentence FragmentAn incomplete sentence. It's a piece of a sentence that is missing a subject, a predicate, or both, so it doesn't express a complete thought.Ran into the house.
Run-on SentenceTwo or more complete sentences that are joined tog...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Complete Sentence Formula
Subject + Predicate = Complete Thought
To check if you have a complete sentence, always look for these two parts. The subject is the 'who' or 'what,' and the predicate is the 'did what.' If one is missing, it's not a complete sentence.
The Fragment Fix-Up
Add the missing part.
If you find a fragment, figure out what's missing. Is it the subject? Is it the predicate? Add the missing piece to make it a complete sentence. For example, 'Jumped high' becomes 'The frog jumped high.'
The Run-On Stopper
Stop and Separate or Connect Correctly.
When you find a run-on, you have two main choices. You can use a period to make two separate sentences. Or, you can add a comma and a conjunction...
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
Read the following sentence: 'The old tree's branches, like gnarled fingers reaching for the sky, swayed in the autumn wind.' How would you describe this?
A.Complete sentence
B.Fragment
C.Run-on sentence
D.Two sentences
Challenging
Read the paragraph. Which numbered part is a run-on sentence? (1) Our class took a field trip to the science museum. (2) We saw dinosaur bones and a model of the solar system. (3) My favorite part was the electricity exhibit I got to make my hair stand on end. (4) It was a fun and educational day.
A.Part 1
B.Part 2
C.Part 3
D.Part 4
Challenging
Which of the following must be done to fix the error in this sentence? 'The puppy chased its tail, it spun around in circles.'
A.Change the comma to a period.
B.Add the word 'and' after the comma.
C.Change 'it' to 'the puppy'.
D.Both A and B are correct ways to fix it.
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