{"id":98,"date":"2024-01-29T16:39:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T21:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/grammarbasics\/?post_type=chapter&p=98"},"modified":"2026-01-26T13:37:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:37:57","slug":"putting-it-all-together","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/grammarbasics\/chapter\/putting-it-all-together\/","title":{"raw":"Putting It All Together","rendered":"Putting It All Together"},"content":{"raw":"Now that you can find the subject and verb in a sentence, we return to the last of the three requirements of a sentence: it must express a complete idea\/thought.\r\n\r\nThis idea is challenging, because \"complete\" is difficult to describe. Identifying the completeness of a sentence is a matter of feel and instinct. The more you read, the stronger your instincts will be.\r\n\r\nI can offer a few pieces of advice, though, to help you get used to identifying complete thoughts.\r\n\r\nFirst,\u00a0complete<\/em> does not mean\u00a0perfectly clear<\/em>. Plenty of sentences might leave you with questions, like this one here:\r\n

He lifted<\/em> it.<\/p>\r\nLifted what? Who is he<\/em>? We might be asking these questions, but this sentence is complete. As readers, we might want the writer to write a new sentence to answer these questions, but we aren't waiting for the author to finish this thought.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nNow let's look at another group of words.\r\n

Just as David lifted up his fork<\/em><\/p>\r\nAs you read that, my hope is that you'll be saying to yourself, \"Well, what happened just as David lifted up his fork? Finish that thought!\" This group of words does not express a complete idea. The writer has set up an idea by giving us context, but they haven't finished it by telling us what happens.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIn my experience, determining completeness can be challenging, so let's get some practice.\r\n\r\n \r\n

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Complete Sentence or Incomplete?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"6\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n
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\"\"\u00a0 \u00a0Extra Practice Using AI<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nYou can gain unlimited practice using an AI tool like ChatGPT. Provide the prompt, \"Generate a list of 10 sentences and 10 dependent clauses. Mix them up randomly.\" The AI will generate a list to give you more practice, and you can ask it to reveal the complete sentences once you've guessed.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n ","rendered":"

Now that you can find the subject and verb in a sentence, we return to the last of the three requirements of a sentence: it must express a complete idea\/thought.<\/p>\n

This idea is challenging, because “complete” is difficult to describe. Identifying the completeness of a sentence is a matter of feel and instinct. The more you read, the stronger your instincts will be.<\/p>\n

I can offer a few pieces of advice, though, to help you get used to identifying complete thoughts.<\/p>\n

First,\u00a0complete<\/em> does not mean\u00a0perfectly clear<\/em>. Plenty of sentences might leave you with questions, like this one here:<\/p>\n

He lifted<\/em> it.<\/p>\n

Lifted what? Who is he<\/em>? We might be asking these questions, but this sentence is complete. As readers, we might want the writer to write a new sentence to answer these questions, but we aren’t waiting for the author to finish this thought.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now let’s look at another group of words.<\/p>\n

Just as David lifted up his fork<\/em><\/p>\n

As you read that, my hope is that you’ll be saying to yourself, “Well, what happened just as David lifted up his fork? Finish that thought!” This group of words does not express a complete idea. The writer has set up an idea by giving us context, but they haven’t finished it by telling us what happens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In my experience, determining completeness can be challenging, so let’s get some practice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Complete Sentence or Incomplete?<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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