**1. Complete Sentence:

• Definition: A complete sentence expresses a complete thought and has at least a subject and a predicate.
• Structure: Subject + Predicate
• Example: “The dog barked loudly.”
  • Subject: The dog
  • Predicate: barked loudly

**2. Fragment:

• Definition: A fragment is a group of words that is missing a key part of a sentence, such as a subject or a predicate, and does not express a complete thought.
• Types of Fragments:
  • Missing Subject: “Under the table.”
  • Missing Predicate: “The cat on the roof.”
  • Dependent Clause Fragment: “Because it was raining.”
• Example of Fragment: “After the party.”
  • Correction: “We cleaned up after the party.”

**3. Run-On Sentence:

• Definition: A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are joined incorrectly, either without proper punctuation or without the correct conjunctions.
• Types of Run-On Sentences:
  • Comma Splice: Two independent clauses joined with just a comma.
    • Example: “I went to the store, I bought some milk.”
    • Correction: “I went to the store, and I bought some milk.”
  • Fused Sentence: Two independent clauses joined without any punctuation.
    • Example: “She loves to swim she swims every day.”
    • Correction: “She loves to swim; she swims every day.”
• Example of Run-On Sentence: “The sun was setting we decided to go home.”
  • Correction: “The sun was setting, so we decided to go home.”

**4. How to Identify Each Type:

• Complete Sentence:
  • Check: Does the sentence have both a subject and a predicate?
  • Ask: Does it express a complete thought?
• Fragment:
  • Check: Is the sentence missing a subject, predicate, or both?
  • Ask: Does it leave the reader with an incomplete idea?
  • Correction: Add the missing parts to complete the thought.
• Run-On Sentence:
  • Check: Are there multiple independent clauses joined incorrectly?
  • Ask: Are there proper punctuation or conjunctions to separate the clauses?
  • Correction: Use a period, comma with a conjunction, or semicolon to fix the run-on.

**5. Practice Examples:

• Complete Sentence: “The cat slept on the couch.”
• Fragment: “Running through the park.”
  • Correction: “She was running through the park.”
• Run-On: “I love to read I go to the library often.”
  • Correction: “I love to read, so I go to the library often.”

**6. Tips for Avoiding Fragments and Run-Ons:

• Fragments:
  • Ensure: Every sentence has a subject and a predicate.
  • Combine: Fragments with nearby sentences to form complete thoughts.
• Run-Ons:
  • Use: Periods, commas with conjunctions, or semicolons to separate clauses.
  • Read Aloud: This can help you spot where punctuation or conjunctions are needed.