Understanding Fragments, Run-ons, and Complete Sentences

Step 1: Understand what a verb actually is.

Verbs

Stative (non-action) Dynamic (action)

● want ● run
● love ● jump
● hope ● kick
● appear ● fall
● to be: am, is, are, was, were ● sleep
● intend ● write
● resent ● eat
● hate ● fight
● have (possession) ● walk
● *see (with your eyes) ● *see (visit or date)
● hear ● have (as an expression): I am having
● think (opinion) For example, I think a good time.
you should go to UCLA. ● listen
● think (considering something or it’s a
thought-process) For example, I am
thinking of moving to Maui.

Main difference between stative and dynamic verbs:

With dynamic verbs, we can use the present continuous tense:

● I ​am ​go​ing​ to Disneyland.
● We ​are​ walk​ing​ home.

With stative verbs, we cannot use the present continuous tense:

● X​ I am hoping to win the lottery. Instead you say, “I hope to win the lottery.”
● X​ I am loving it! Instead, you say, “I love it.”

Step 2: Learn what a clause is:

A clause consists of a subject and a verb;

However, ther are two types of clauses.

Subordinating Dependent Clause Independent Clause

 Conjunctions (incomplete thought) (complete thought)

● When ● When​ he articulates his ● He articulates his thoughts

● Before thoughts well, well.
● After ● Although​ it was a ● It was a poignant speech.
● Since poignant speech, ● It was incumbent upon him to
● While ● Since​ it was incumbent take care of his younger
● Although upon him to take care of siblings.
● If his younger siblings, ● I was lied to.
● because ● Because​ I was lied to,

Step 3: Learn two important rules about commas and write complete sentences!

Commas:

After dependent clauses:

*A dependent clause by itself is a​ fragment​!

You ​must add an independent clause​ after it to make it a ​complete sentence​.

Examples:
When he articulates his thoughts wel​l,​ everyone can understand him.

Although it was a poignant speech​,​ no one cried.

Since it was incumbent upon him to take care of his younger siblings​,​ he fed them.

Because I was lied to​,​ I never started my sentences with “because.”

Between two independent clauses:

*Two independent clauses joined together is a ​RUN-ON​ ​sentence! A comma, alone, cannot join
them; if you do just that, it is called a ​comma splice​!

I baked cookies​,​ they were good. (​comma splice; run-on sentence​)

Correction: I baked cookies, and they were good.
Add a coordinating conjunction​ between two independent clauses to form ​a complete
sentence​.

What are the FANBOYS (coordinating conjunctions)?

For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

Examples of complete sentences:

He was given many options, ​but​ he was not interested in any of them.

She bullied other kids, ​so​ the principal suspended her.

They were not going to hire her,​ nor​ was she interested.

You can give us our deposit back, ​or ​we will take this matter to court.