Where the Red Fern Where the Red Fern Grows Grows

Lesson 1 - Lesson 1 - Understanding Understanding

Sentences Sentences

How can you tell a complete sentence How can you tell a complete sentence from an incomplete sentence? from an incomplete sentence? Usually you tell just by listening.Usually you tell just by listening.

Incomplete Sentence (Fragment)Incomplete Sentence (Fragment)Everyday.Everyday.(What? Who does what everyday? I (What? Who does what everyday? I don’t get it. This is not complete.)don’t get it. This is not complete.)

Incomplete Sentence (Fragment)Incomplete Sentence (Fragment)Every day, rain or shine.Every day, rain or shine.

(I don’t care about the weather! Tell (I don’t care about the weather! Tell me who is doing what.)me who is doing what.)

Complete SentenceComplete SentenceBilly hunts.Billy hunts.(This is a very simple sentence, but it (This is a very simple sentence, but it

has a subject [Billy] and a verb has a subject [Billy] and a verb [hunts]. We know what happened [hunts]. We know what happened and who did it.)and who did it.)

Complete SentenceComplete SentenceBilly hunts everyday.Billy hunts everyday.(Here is the same sentence with a (Here is the same sentence with a

little more information. There’s no little more information. There’s no confusion here.)confusion here.)

Complete SentenceComplete SentenceBilly hunts everyday, rain or shine.Billy hunts everyday, rain or shine.(Here is the same sentence with even (Here is the same sentence with even

more information, and it’s still very more information, and it’s still very clear.)clear.)

A complete sentence must have a subject A complete sentence must have a subject and a predicate. The subject tells and a predicate. The subject tells whowho or or whatwhat does the action, and the predicate does the action, and the predicate contains the contains the verbverb and tells and tells whatwhat the action the action is.is.

A verb is a word that expresses one of two A verb is a word that expresses one of two things:things:

Action: jump, scream, fly, runAction: jump, scream, fly, run State of being: appear, seem, feelState of being: appear, seem, feel

A subject can be any of the following things:A subject can be any of the following things: The person who does the action in the The person who does the action in the

sentence. Grandpa sells goods in his general sentence. Grandpa sells goods in his general store.store.

The place that does the action in the The place that does the action in the sentence. The general store swarms with sentence. The general store swarms with people before the Fourth of July celebration. people before the Fourth of July celebration.

The thing that does the action in the The thing that does the action in the sentence. Flour and sugar are mixed sentence. Flour and sugar are mixed together to make cookies.together to make cookies.

The person described in the sentence. The person described in the sentence. Grandpa is happy when he makes a Grandpa is happy when he makes a good sell.good sell.

The place being described in the The place being described in the sentence. The general store is sentence. The general store is crowded on Saturday.crowded on Saturday.

The thing being described in the The thing being described in the sentence. Cookies are best when the sentence. Cookies are best when the flour and sugar are fresh.flour and sugar are fresh.

Subjects may come in different forms:Subjects may come in different forms: One noun as the subject – One noun as the subject – BillyBilly wants wants

hound dogs.hound dogs. Two nouns as a subject – Two nouns as a subject – Little Ann and Little Ann and

Old DanOld Dan are two dogs. are two dogs. One pronoun as the subject – One pronoun as the subject – HeHe prays prays

each night for dogs.each night for dogs. Two pronouns as the subject – Two pronouns as the subject – He and sheHe and she

are both still awake because of the coon are both still awake because of the coon hounds.hounds.

A phrase – A phrase – Staying awake all nightStaying awake all night is no is no fun.fun.

A clause – A clause – What makes me madWhat makes me mad is all the is all the noise!noise!

ClauseClausewhen he gets the moneywhen he gets the money(This has a subject [he] and a verb (This has a subject [he] and a verb

[gets], but you’re left dangling, [gets], but you’re left dangling, aren’t you? It’s not a complete aren’t you? It’s not a complete sentence. This is called a dependent sentence. This is called a dependent clause. It depends on something else clause. It depends on something else to make a complete sentence.to make a complete sentence.

Complete SentenceComplete SentenceBilly will buy coon hounds when he Billy will buy coon hounds when he

gets the money.gets the money.(Now we know what’s going on!)(Now we know what’s going on!)

Determine if the following are Determine if the following are complete sentences or complete sentences or

dependent clauses.dependent clauses.1.1. When I left my office that beautiful When I left my office that beautiful

spring day.spring day.2.2. I was walking along whistling when I was walking along whistling when

I heard the dogfight.I heard the dogfight.3.3. About twenty-five feet from me they About twenty-five feet from me they

caught him and down he went.caught him and down he went.4.4. Down on my knees.Down on my knees.5.5. With one final whimper.With one final whimper.6.6. Where the alley emptied into the Where the alley emptied into the

street, he stopped and looked back.street, he stopped and looked back.

7.7. As I watch him disappear in the As I watch him disappear in the twilight shadows.twilight shadows.

8.8. Whatever it was that had interrupted Whatever it was that had interrupted his life, he was trying to straighten it his life, he was trying to straighten it out.out.

9.9. As I turned to enter my yard.As I turned to enter my yard.10.10. As I caressed the smooth surfaces, my As I caressed the smooth surfaces, my

mind drifted back through the years, mind drifted back through the years, back to my boyhood days.back to my boyhood days.

PhrasePhrasethe sound of the houndsthe sound of the hounds(We just saw that a clause has a (We just saw that a clause has a

subject and a verb. There’s no verb subject and a verb. There’s no verb here; this is called a phrase. It could here; this is called a phrase. It could be the start of a great sentence, but be the start of a great sentence, but it needs some help. It needs some it needs some help. It needs some action.)action.)

Complete SentenceComplete SentenceThe sound of the hounds echoed in The sound of the hounds echoed in

Billy’s mind even after the night Billy’s mind even after the night quieted.quieted.

(Now there’s some action! It makes a (Now there’s some action! It makes a very clear, complete sentence.)very clear, complete sentence.)

Tell which part of the sentence Tell which part of the sentence (subject or predicate) is missing in (subject or predicate) is missing in the sentence fragments below:the sentence fragments below:

1.1. A whole bucketful of tears. A whole bucketful of tears. 2.2. My dog-wanting. My dog-wanting. 3.3. Bawling and yelling for Mama. Bawling and yelling for Mama. 4.4. Had a talk with him. Had a talk with him.

Let’s build a few sentences.Let’s build a few sentences.PhrasePhraseyoung Billyyoung BillyDependent ClauseDependent Clauseby the time hunting season was overby the time hunting season was overComplete SentenceComplete SentenceBy the time hunting season was over, By the time hunting season was over,

young Billy was a nervous wreck.young Billy was a nervous wreck.

PhrasePhraseour cat Samieour cat SamieDependent ClauseDependent Clausewith one loud squallwith one loud squallComplete SentenceComplete SentenceWith one loud squall, our cat Samie With one loud squall, our cat Samie

scooted under the barn.scooted under the barn.

PhrasePhrasethe glow of the firethe glow of the fireDependent ClauseDependent Clauseas I sat there in silenceas I sat there in silenceComplete SentenceComplete SentenceAs I sat there in silence, the glow of As I sat there in silence, the glow of

the fire grew larger.the fire grew larger.

PhrasePhrasesparkled like a white star in the heavenssparkled like a white star in the heavensDependent ClauseDependent Clauseas I struck a matchas I struck a matchComplete SentenceComplete SentenceAs I struck a match, the smaller cup As I struck a match, the smaller cup

sparkled like a white star in the sparkled like a white star in the heavens.heavens.

Video on Sentence Video on Sentence FragmentsFragments

Brain PopBrain Pophttp://www.brainpop.com/english/grammar/sentencefragments/

Practice – Complete Practice – Complete Sentence or Sentence Sentence or Sentence

Fragment?Fragment?1.1. I found some slick little trails out in the I found some slick little trails out in the

garden down under some tall garden down under some tall hollyhocks. hollyhocks.

2.2. Once I decided to make friends with Once I decided to make friends with him. him.

3.3. Thinking they were game trails. Thinking they were game trails. 4.4. Mama had another talk with Papa. Mama had another talk with Papa.

Go to your Student PacketGo to your Student Packet and and completecomplete Lesson 1 Practice Lesson 1 Practice for Englishfor English..

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