Writing in complete sentences
Good writers know that they need to write in complete sentences. Complete sentences express a complete thought and they have four elements:
a capital letter (begins
the sentence)
end punctuation (period [.], question mark [?], or exclamation
point [!])
a subject
a verb
All sentences must have all of these elements:
The technician installed the printer drivers.
| The technician | installed | the printer drivers. |
subject |
verb |
object |
A sentence can be complete without an object, but it must have a subject and a verb. Without both a subject and a verb, it is called a sentence fragment.
Complete sentence:
The technician was busy all afternoon installing the printer drivers.
Sentence fragment:
Installing the printer drivers. (no subject)
Complete sentence:
The plunger-type solenoid is commonly used in a starter motor.
Sentence fragment:
The plunger-type solenoid commonly used in a starter motor.
(no verb)
Created fragments
Be careful not to create fragments by adding a "subordinator".*
Complete sentences:
Because the intended readers are not engineers, it is not necessary to give
details of the mechanical theory.
The intended readers are not engineers. It is not necessary to give details of the mechanical theory.
Sentence fragment:
Because the intended readers are not engineers. It is not necessary to
give details of the mechanical theory.
This fragment was created by the addition of the subordinator because. Other subordinators are: although, even though, unless, since, after, before, while, if.
Complete Sentence:
Unless the system has been beta tested, we cannot release it to the market.
Sentence Fragment:
Unless the system has been beta tested. We cannot release it to the
market.
Practice 2
© David Tillyer
*See the lesson on "Using Clauses"
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