Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on?

key notes :

Complete Sentences

  • Definition: A complete sentence has a subject (who or what the sentence is about) and a predicate (what the subject is doing). It expresses a full thought.
  • Example: “The cat sleeps on the bed.”
  • Characteristics:
    • Begins with a capital letter.
    • Ends with a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
    • Makes sense on its own.

Fragments

  • Definition: A fragment is a part of a sentence that is missing either a subject or a predicate, or does not express a complete thought.
  • Example: “Running in the park.” (No subject or complete thought)
  • Characteristics:
    • Often starts with a lowercase letter if it follows another sentence.
    • Lacks a full idea or context.
    • Does not make sense by itself.

Run-On Sentences

  • Definition: A run-on sentence has two or more complete sentences joined together incorrectly without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
  • Example: “The dog barks he likes to play outside.” (Should be two separate sentences or joined correctly with a comma and conjunction.)
  • Characteristics:
    • May lack punctuation or use incorrect punctuation.
    • Can be confusing or hard to understand.
    • Sometimes joined by just a space or comma without a conjunction.

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