Page 155 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade7_Flipbook

Activity 4.4
Lesson: Sentences and Sentence Fragments Learning Target
• Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.
A complete sentence contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. EXAMPLES: This is a complete sentence. [This is the subject and is is the verb.] It expresses a complete thought. [It is the subject and expresses is the verb.]
A sentence fragment is not a complete sentence. It is missing a subject or a verb, or it does not express a complete thought.
EXAMPLES: because this is a sentence fragment [This dependent clause includes a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought.]
being a sentence fragment and not a complete sentence [This phrase does not include a subject and does not express a complete thought.]
Authors sometimes use fragments for effect. A fragment can emphasize an important point or mimic conversational speech.
EXAMPLE: A sentence fragment can emphasize an important point or mimic conversational speech. Like this.
In most standard written English, such as in school assignments, you generally should use complete sentences. To revise a fragment to make it a complete sentence you can (1) add a subject or a verb or both, or (2) delete or add words to make the word group express a complete thought.
Fragment: because a sentence should express a complete thought.
Sentence: I revised the sentence because a sentence should express a complete thought. Sentence: A sentence should express a complete thought.
Grammar Activities • Unit 4 3
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