Understanding Sentences

Hello, Year 4! Today, we’re going to learn about sentences. We want to know: Is it a complete sentence or a run-on?

What is a Complete Sentence?

A complete sentence is a group of words that makes sense on its own. It has three main parts:

  1. A subject (who or what the sentence is about)
  2. A verb (what the subject is doing)
  3. A complete thought (the sentence tells us something clear)

Example:

  • The dog barks.

(This sentence tells us that the dog is doing the action of barking.)

What is a Run-On Sentence?

A run-on sentence happens when two or more complete thoughts are joined together without the right punctuation. This makes it confusing to read.

Example:

  • I like ice cream I eat it every day.

(This sentence has two complete thoughts, but they are squished together without a pause.)

Key Rules to Remember

  1. Look for a subject and a verb. Make sure the sentence has both.
  2. Check if it makes sense by itself. Can you understand the whole thought?
  3. Watch out for joining words. Words like “and,” “but,” or “or” can connect sentences, but they need commas to help.
  4. Use punctuation. Always end your sentences with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark.

Tips and Tricks

  • Break it down. If you’re not sure if it’s a run-on, try reading it out loud. Does it sound too long?
  • Use commas. If you are joining two ideas, make sure to place a comma before the joining word.
  • Practice! The more you write, the better you’ll get at spotting sentences.

Questions to Test Your Understanding

Easy Level Questions

  1. I like cats.
  2. The sun shines it is bright.
  3. My name is Sam.
  4. She runs fast she is a champion.
  5. Birds can fly.
  6. He plays football he loves it.
  7. The cake is tasty.
  8. I have a dog I take care of him.
  9. We went to the park.
  10. She sings beautifully she is a star.
  11. The sky is blue.
  12. They are friends they play together.
  13. I enjoy reading.
  14. The car is red it goes fast.
  15. He likes pizza.
  16. We are going to the zoo we will see lions.
  17. The flowers are pretty.
  18. I have a pencil it is yellow.
  19. The movie was great.
  20. She dances well she practices daily.

Medium Level Questions

  1. The children are playing outside they are having fun.
  2. I saw a rabbit it was hopping away.
  3. The teacher is kind she helps us learn.
  4. My brother loves to swim he practices every week.
  5. The stars shine brightly at night.
  6. I finished my homework now I can play.
  7. The tree is tall it has many leaves.
  8. We bake cookies on Sundays we enjoy eating them.
  9. The dog barks loudly it wants to go outside.
  10. She reads a book every night she loves stories.
  11. The music was loud we danced all night.
  12. I will ride my bike to school it is fun.
  13. The pizza is hot we need to wait.
  14. I saw a movie it was really exciting.
  15. The flowers bloom in spring they are beautiful.
  16. I love to draw pictures they make me happy.
  17. He plays the guitar well he practices hard.
  18. I have a pet fish it swims in a bowl.
  19. We visited the museum we learned a lot.
  20. The cake is ready let’s eat it.

Hard Level Questions

  1. The storm was fierce it knocked down trees.
  2. She loves to travel she has been to many countries.
  3. The book was fascinating I couldn’t put it down.
  4. He studies hard for exams he wants to succeed.
  5. I enjoy playing games with my friends it brings us closer.
  6. The weather was nice we decided to have a picnic.
  7. The concert was amazing I enjoyed every moment.
  8. She writes stories in her free time they are very interesting.
  9. He wants to be an astronaut he loves space.
  10. The train arrived on time we were very happy.
  11. We went hiking in the mountains it was a great adventure.
  12. The cat caught a mouse it was very quick.
  13. They played in the garden it was sunny outside.
  14. I baked a cake for my mum’s birthday she loved it.
  15. The gym is busy today many people are working out.
  16. The football match was exciting the crowd cheered loudly.
  17. She learned to swim last summer it was a lot of fun.
  18. I am reading a new book it has great reviews.
  19. We saw a play last night it was really funny.
  20. The children made a mess they had so much fun.

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

  1. Complete
  2. Run-on
  3. Complete
  4. Run-on
  5. Complete
  6. Run-on
  7. Complete
  8. Run-on
  9. Complete
  10. Run-on
  11. Complete
  12. Run-on
  13. Complete
  14. Run-on
  15. Complete
  16. Run-on
  17. Complete
  18. Run-on
  19. Complete
  20. Run-on

Medium Level Answers

  1. Run-on
  2. Run-on
  3. Run-on
  4. Run-on
  5. Complete
  6. Run-on
  7. Run-on
  8. Run-on
  9. Run-on
  10. Run-on
  11. Complete
  12. Run-on
  13. Run-on
  14. Run-on
  15. Run-on
  16. Run-on
  17. Run-on
  18. Run-on
  19. Run-on
  20. Complete

Hard Level Answers

  1. Run-on
  2. Run-on
  3. Complete
  4. Run-on
  5. Complete
  6. Run-on
  7. Complete
  8. Run-on
  9. Complete
  10. Complete
  11. Complete
  12. Complete
  13. Complete
  14. Complete
  15. Complete
  16. Complete
  17. Run-on
  18. Complete
  19. Complete
  20. Complete

Now you know how to tell if a sentence is complete or a run-on! Keep practicing, and you will get better and better at spotting them. Happy writing!