What is a Sentence: Complete Sentence vs Fragment Sentence

Grade 5 English Class Unit 1 Lesson 1

This series of lessons is based on what is taught in American schools.  The lessons will contain a curriculum similar to what is taught in Grade 5, which is generally children aged 10-11 years old.  This is not how to speak English.  If you are interested in learning to speak English, please go to this series. American English Pronunciation Course

Complete Sentence vs Fragment Sentence

The first lesson will focus on what is a sentence and what are complete sentences versus fragments. A sentence is a group of words that go together that expresses an idea. A sentence will say who or what it’s about and what is or what happens.

This might be a little confusing to describe so here are a few examples:

The balloon is in the sky. This is a complete sentence.  It has a who or what “the balloon” and it says what is or what happens “is in the sky”. If you say the sentence out loud you can almost hear a break between the two parts.

The girl rides a bike.  Again, this is another complete sentence.  Who or what “the girl”  and what happens “rides a bike” together make a full idea.

What is a Sentence Fragment?

As mentioned, those two sentences are complete sentences.  A sentence fragment is a group of words that express an incomplete idea. Fragments often have only one part, either the who/what or just the part about what is/what’s happening.

Fragments often sound strange, you’ll recognize that some of the information is missing. If your friend comes over to you and just says “the little boy” and nothing more you’ll probably be confused.  You’ll want to know more…what is the boy doing? Is something wrong with the boy? Where is the boy?

This applies also if the who/what is missing.  You can have a fragment when only the what is or what’s happening is expressed.  For example, if somebody just says “wears glasses” it’s a fragment.  Who “wears glasses”?  The sentence doesn’t make sense without the other part. “The cat wears glasses.” is a complete sentence because it tells us who or what.

Practice Finding a Complete Sentence and a Fragment Sentence

Can you identify which of these sentences are complete and which are fragments? You might want to read the sentence out loud to hear how it sounds.

1. There is a monkey in the tree.
2. Has a banana.
3. It is hungry.
4. The family looks at the monkey.
5. The little girl.
6. Laughs at the monkey.

Complete Sentence and a Fragment Sentence Answers and Explanation

There is a monkey in the tree. This is a complete sentence.  It tells who/what “a monkey” and what is happening “in the tree”.

Has a banana. This is a fragment.  There is no part of the sentence that tells us who or what has a banana. More information is needed to make this a complete sentence. For example, “the monkey has a banana” is a complete sentence.

It is hungry. This is a short sentence but it is still a complete sentence.  The full idea is there, we know who/what “it” and what is happening “is hungry”.

The family looks at the monkey.  This is another complete sentence. “The family” tells us who or what and “looks at the monkey” lets us know what is happening.

The little girl. The little girl does what? This fragment is missing what is happening.  There isn’t enough information to give a full idea of what is going on. To make a complete sentence there needs to be something to tell us what the little girl is doing or what happened, “the little girl likes the monkey” or “the little girl gave the monkey a banana”.

Laughs at the monkey.  This sentence is another fragment. It is missing who or what is laughing.  Once who or what is added it will be a complete sentence, “everyone laughs at the monkey”.

Go to lesson two here and learn all about the 4 types of sentences.