November 27, 2013
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
MCC Students, ENGL 1020
RC Hoover, Instructor, ENGL 1020
March 22, 2016
Sentences, A Definition
What is a sentence?
What is a run-on sentence? What is a sentence fragment?
What does RC mean when he says "This is not a sentence"?
All three answers depend on RC’s definition of "sentence"?
A sentence is a string of words that exhibits four qualities:
1. The string begins with a capital letter.
2. The string ends with appropriate closing punctuation (a
period [.] or a question mark [?]).
3. The string contains a word or phrase indicating a
person, place, object, or action; this word functions as
the sentence’s SUBJECT.
4. The string also contains a word or phrase indicating the
subject’s existence or action; this word functions as the
sentence’s PREDICATE.
Below, the words or phrases functioning as subjects are bolded,
and those functioning as predicates are italicized.
The textbook was expensive.
Swimming builds endurance.
To win requires the ability to perform.
Please remember the rules of grammar.
I live and work in Omak.
Jo and Bo studied law together.
Because he lied, he died.
If a word string exhibits these four qualities, then it is a
sentence. If it lacks one or more of these qualities, then it is
not a sentence (but the rules change according to "mood").
For more information on "mood," run-on sentences, and sentence
fragments, see "Subjects and Predicates, An Overview."
RCH