Sentences and Fragments

A complete sentence tells a whole thought. It has a subject and a predicate and makes sense on its own. A sentence fragment is missing something important, like a subject or a verb. Fragments do not express a complete thought. Knowing the difference helps you write clearly.

What Makes a Complete Sentence

A complete sentence needs three things. It must have a subject that tells who or what. It must have a predicate with a verb that tells what happens. And it must express a complete thought. The bird sings is a complete sentence. It has a subject, a verb, and makes sense.

Fixing Fragments

A fragment is a piece of a sentence that is missing something. Running down the street is a fragment because it has no subject. The big brown dog is a fragment because it has no verb. To fix a fragment, add the missing part. The big brown dog ran down the street is a complete sentence.

Fun Facts

• Professional writers sometimes use fragments on purpose for dramatic effect.
• The longest sentence in a published novel has over 13,000 words.
• In texting, people often use fragments like On my way because the meaning is understood.

Did You Know?

In everyday speech, people use fragments all the time. If someone asks how are you, answering good is a fragment, but everyone understands it.