A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is punctuated as if it were a complete sentence. Sometimes a sentence fragment does not express a complete thought because the subject or verb is left out.

Why is the example above a fragment?

A. it is not a complete thought
B. it is missing a subject
C. it is missing a verb

Run-On Sentences

A run-on sentence is when two or more sentences are written as though they were one sentence. The easiest way to fix a run-on sentence is to separate the sentences with a period and a capital letter.

Example:

That's my bike, it has a flat tire. (run-on)
That's my bike. It has a flat tire. (correct)

Your Turn: In your notes, correct the following run-on:
She ate fried potatoes for lunch, she had peach pie for dessert.

How to Check for Complete Sentences

Try these tips:

- Find the subject of each sentence, along with its verb.
- Make sure the sentence expresses a complete thought.
- Recheck your punctuation for accuracy.

Your Turn: Answer the following question in your notes.

True or false. The three tips written above are complete sentences.

True False