English Language Arts
Grade 7
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
Define and identify a complete sentence.
Define and identify a sentence fragment.
Define and identify a run-on sentence.
Distinguish between independent and dependent clauses.
Correct sentence fragments to form complete sentences.
Correct run-on sentences using various strategies.
Apply knowledge of sentence structure to improve writing clarity and precision.
Ever read something that just didn't make sense, or felt like it went on forever without a break? 🤯 Good writing starts with understanding how sentences work!
In this lesson, you'll learn to identify complete sentences, fragments, and run-ons. Mastering these basics will make your writing clearer, more powerful, and easier for your readers to understand, whether you're analyzing li...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Complete SentenceA group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains both a subject and a predicate.The curious cat chased the laser pointer across the room.
SubjectThe noun or pronoun that performs the action or is described in the sentence. It tells 'who' or 'what' the sentence is about.In 'The curious cat chased the laser pointer,' 'The curious cat' is the subject.
PredicateThe part of the sentence that contains the verb and tells what the subject does or is. It tells 'what happened' or 'what the subject is doing/being'.In 'The curious cat chased the laser pointer,' 'chased the laser pointer' is the predicate.
Sentence FragmentA group of words that looks like a sentence but...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Complete Sentence Checklist
A complete sentence must have: 1. A subject. 2. A predicate (verb). 3. Express a complete thought (can stand alone).
To check if a group of words is a complete sentence, ask yourself: 'Who or what is doing something?' (Subject) and 'What are they doing or what is being said about them?' (Predicate). Then, does it make sense all by itself?
Identifying Sentence Fragments
A group of words is a fragment if it's missing a subject, a predicate, or starts with a subordinating conjunction (like 'because,' 'although,' 'since') but isn't attached to a complete thought.
Look for missing 'who/what' or 'what happened.' Also, be wary of phrases starting with words that make them...
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
A writer wants to combine these two ideas to show contrast: 'The research was difficult.' and 'The results were rewarding.' Which option best achieves this with grammatical correctness?
A.The research was difficult, the results were rewarding.
B.Although the research was difficult, the results were rewarding.
C.The research was difficult, and the results were rewarding.
D.The research was difficult, because the results were rewarding.
Challenging
Evaluate the following complex sentences. Which one is the only grammatically complete and correctly punctuated sentence?
A.While the team developed a new strategy, and they hoped it would lead them to victory.
B.The plan, which took weeks to perfect, it was finally ready to be implemented.
C.After the storm passed, the community came together to clean up the damage.
D.Because the novel was a bestseller the movie rights were sold for a high price.
Challenging
Analyze the error in this group of words: 'Although the team practiced for weeks, losing the championship game.' What is the most precise description of the problem?
A.It is a run-on sentence with a comma splice.
B.It is a fragment because it is missing a subject.
C.It is a complete sentence with incorrect punctuation.
D.It is a fragment consisting of a dependent clause followed by a phrase, lacking a main independent clause.
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