English Language Arts
Grade 4
15 min
Is it a complete sentence or a fragment?
Is it a complete sentence or a fragment?
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define a complete sentence and a fragment.
Identify the subject (who or what) in a group of words.
By the end of a this lesson, students will be able to identify the predicate (what the subject is or does) in a group of words.
Determine if a group of words expresses a complete thought.
Correctly label a group of words as either a 'complete sentence' or a 'fragment'.
Explain why a fragment is incomplete by identifying its missing part (subject or predicate).
Imagine you get a text message that just says, "...at the park." 🤔 What would your first question be? You'd probably ask, "WHO is at the park?" or "WHAT is at the park?"
Today, we're going to be word detectives! We will learn the secret code...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Complete SentenceA group of words that expresses a complete thought. It has a subject and a predicate, and it can stand all by itself.The happy dog wagged its tail.
FragmentAn incomplete thought or a piece of a sentence. It is missing either a subject, a predicate, or both.Wagged its tail.
SubjectThe 'who' or 'what' the sentence is about. It's the person, place, or thing that is doing the action.In the sentence 'The girl threw the ball,' the subject is 'The girl'.
PredicateThe part of the sentence that tells what the subject is or does. It always includes the verb.In the sentence 'The girl threw the ball,' the predicate is 'threw the ball'.
VerbAn action word (like 'run', 'jump', �...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Sentence Formula
Subject + Predicate = Complete Sentence
A complete sentence must have both parts: a subject (who or what) and a predicate (what the subject is or does). If one part is missing, you have a fragment.
The Question Test
Ask 'Who or what did something?'
To check if a group of words is a complete sentence, first ask, 'Who or what is this about?' to find the subject. Then ask, 'What did they do?' to find the predicate. If you can answer both questions, it's a complete sentence.
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Challenging
How many fragments are in the following passage?
'Our family went camping. A great time in the woods. We roasted marshmallows. The sticky, sweet treats. Then we told spooky stories around the campfire.'
A.0
B.1
C.2
D.3
Challenging
Read the sentence: 'Unless you finish your vegetables, you will not get any dessert.' Which part of this sentence is a fragment if it stands by itself?
A.Unless you finish your vegetables
B.you will not get any dessert
C.you will not get
D.finish your vegetables
Challenging
Three of these fragments can be made into a complete sentence by adding only a predicate (an action). Which fragment needs a subject instead?
A.The mysterious old house on the hill.
B.My friends and I on the weekend.
C.The fluffy clouds in the sky.
D.Wrote a thank-you note to his grandma.
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