Activities

1. Identify subjects and verbs in word groups/phrases.

2. State the definition of a sentence.

3. Determine if a group of words is a sentence, fragment or run-on.
   
   
4. Apply understanding of a complete sentence by determining which of the following is a sentence, fragment, or run-on.
   
   
   1. When I entered the room, I received a standing ovation.
   2. Having a great friend.
   3. My best friend is John he’s been my friend since first grade.
   4. My mom’s answer didn’t make me happy.
   5. She said I should clean my room before I went outside so I did.
      
      
5. Determine what makes a group of words a sentence, fragment, or run-on. 
   
   
6. Apply understanding of what makes a sentence by identifying the following as sentences, run-ons, or sentence fragments and explaining your answer.
   
   
   1. Alex my teacher.
   2. Since I’ve been up all night.
   3. The fact most people can’t spell Massachusetts.
   4. Having finished her homework, Deb decided to watch television.
   5. I went home ate dinner went to bed.

7. Revise fragments to form complete sentences.
   
   
8. Revise run-ons to form complete sentences.
   
   

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student identifies subjects and verbs in sentences. Subjects are the part of the sentence that tells the person, place, or thing that the sentence is about. Verbs are the part of the sentence that tells what is being done, the action or the state of being.
   
   
2. Student identifies that sentences must have a subject, verb, and express a complete thought.  That is, it should make sense standing alone. 

3. Using the definitions of sentences, run-ons, and fragments, the student determines if a group of words is a complete sentence.
   
   
   1. Sentences must have a subject, verb, and express a complete thought. That is, it should make sense standing alone. 
   2. A fragment is a group of words without a subject or a verb, or cannot stand alone. 
   3. A run-on is two or more independent sentences without a conjunction or correct punctuation. 
      
      
4. Answers as follows:
   
   
   1. Sentence
   2. Fragment
   3. Run-on
   4. Sentence
   5. Run-on
      
      
5. Using the definition of sentences, run-ons, and fragments, the student is able to determine and state what makes the group of words a sentence, fragment, or run-on. To do this, the student needs to both understand the definitions and be able to apply the knowledge. 
   
   
6. Answers as follows:
   
   
   1. Fragment - There is no verb.
   2. Fragment - This is a dependent clause. It has a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought.
   3. Fragment - This has a subject and a verb, but does not express a complete thought.
   4. Complete sentence.
   5. Run-on - These are three independent clauses that should be combined with a comma or listed separately.

7. Student correctly revises fragments to form complete sentences. To do this, the student must identify what is missing in the sentence—subject, verb, or complete thought. Then, the student must correctly add the missing part(s) to form a complete sentence. 
   
   
8. Student correctly revises run-ons to form complete sentences. To do this, the student must identify why the sentence is a run-on and fix it appropriately. If the two parts of the sentence are closely related, the student may use correct punctuation or a conjunction to combine the run-on to make it a sentence. If the sentence parts are not closely connected, the student correctly uses end-mark punctuation to form complete sentences.