Sentences, Fragments, and Run-On Sentences - Free Printable

Let's solve the task step by step.

Task:

We are given a list of 18 groups of words. For each group, we need to determine if it is a complete sentence or a fragment.

- If it's a complete sentence, write S on the line.
- If it's a fragment, write F on the line.

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Step-by-step Analysis:

We’ll go through each item and decide whether it has a subject and a predicate (and expresses a complete thought).

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1. Yesterday when I got off the school bus.
- This is a dependent clause ("when I got off the school bus") starting with "Yesterday" but no main clause.
→ F

2. My friend Sheila and I saw a brown toad hopping on the sidewalk.
- Subject: "My friend Sheila and I"
- Predicate: "saw a brown toad hopping on the sidewalk"
- Complete thought.
→ S

3. Yelled and screamed when she saw it.
- No subject. "Yelled and screamed" is a verb phrase without a subject.
→ F

4. My friend Sheila, who is scared of all reptiles.
- This is a noun phrase with a relative clause. No verb for the main clause.
→ F

5. I picked up the toad and looked closely at it.
- Subject: "I"
- Verbs: "picked up" and "looked"
- Complete thought.
→ S

6. Had dry, bumpy skin on its body.
- No subject. Just a verb phrase.
→ F

7. Sheila said, “I don’t want to see that ugly toad!”
- Subject: "Sheila"
- Verb: "said"
- Quoted speech is a complete sentence within the quote.
→ S

8. Said, “Then close your eyes Sheila.”
- No subject before "Said". It’s missing the person who said it.
→ F

9. Sheila was mad and she ran off.
- Two independent clauses joined by "and". Complete thought.
→ S

10. I put the toad in my backpack.
- Subject: "I"
- Verb: "put"
- Complete thought.
→ S

11. Took it home to show my brother.
- No subject. "Took" is a verb without a subject.
→ F

12. My brother wasn’t home from school yet.
- Subject: "My brother"
- Verb: "wasn’t"
- Complete thought.
→ S

13. Then I put the backpack on the living room sofa.
- Subject: "I"
- Verb: "put"
- "Then" is an adverb, but doesn't affect completeness.
→ S

14. The toad was still inside.
- Subject: "The toad"
- Verb: "was"
- Complete thought.
→ S

15. My mother opened the backpack to see what homework I had.
- Subject: "My mother"
- Verb: "opened"
- Complete thought.
→ S

16. Hopped out of the backpack and began jumping around the living room floor.
- No subject. "Hopped" and "began" are verbs without a subject.
→ F

17. Screamed loudly!
- No subject. "Screamed" is a verb without a subject.
→ F

18. Do you think my mother will let me keep this little brown toad?
- This is a question, but it has a subject ("you"), verb ("think"), and complete thought.
→ S

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Final Answers:

1. F
2. S
3. F
4. F
5. S
6. F
7. S
8. F
9. S
10. S
11. F
12. S
13. S
14. S
15. S
16. F
17. F
18. S

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Summary:

- Complete Sentences (S): 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18 → 10 sentences
- Fragments (F): 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 16, 17 → 8 fragments

✔ The correct answers are as listed above.

Let me know if you'd like this formatted as a printable answer key!