PACKET 1

RECOGNIZING COMPLETE SENTENCES

A sentence is a group of words expressing a complete thought.
Here are four sentences. Notice the capital letter at the beginning of each sentence and the
mark of punctuation at the end.
Harper Lee won a prize for her book.
Please fasten your seat belt.
Why did you stop running?
Watch out for the car!
The following groups of words are not sentences because they do not express complete
thoughts. Each one leaves out something you need to know in order to understand what
the writer means to say.
after they pitched the tent and built a campfire
(Then what happened?)
because Anna won the 100-meter race
(What was the result?)
sailing around the world
(What about it?)
on her hike through the Grand Canyon
(What did she do on the hike?)

1. Read and complete all exercises in this packet.

2. Take the test for Packet 1.

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Directions: In the following exercises, place an S in the blank to the left if the group
of words is a complete sentence. Then add the correct punctuation
mark at the end.

A. _____ 1. When she reached the top of the mountain

_____ 2. Counting his money
_____ 3. Although the sea was rough
_____ 4. If he had not sneezed when he did
_____ 5. Moving stealthily through the jungle
_____ 6. Because she was chosen the most talented girl in the contest
_____ 7. Unless something is done
_____ 8. Chattering among themselves
_____ 9. Lying on its back
_____10. While the skyscraper was being constructed

B. _____ 1. Standing near the edge of the water

_____ 2. When the fire was finally extinguished
_____ 3. Before leaving, the guide gave us instructions
_____ 4. While listening to the waves hit the beach
_____ 5. Living alone on the island, the hermit makes everything he needs
himself
_____ 6. After the door was bolted
_____ 7. If you think it is so easy
_____ 8. The celebrity needed no introduction, being a native of the town
_____ 9. Before we board the ship
_____10. Half walking and half crawling down the road
_____11. The sailors felt relieved when land was sighted
_____12. Our dog lay down quietly, waiting for us to notice him
_____13. Because he forgot the date
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_____14. Unless the train is late

_____15. Although she had never played backgammon
_____16. Whimpering, the child went to bed
_____17. Waiting impatiently for the storm to end
_____18. If a person does not have a sense of humor
_____19. While visiting the museum, we met some students from India
_____20. Since the house was built many years before

C. _____ 1. My sister spoke about saving the whales

_____ 2. On the other side of the basketball court
_____ 3. After collecting the papers, the teacher walked out of the room
_____ 4. The quick and clever magician
_____ 5. The whales in the Pacific Ocean
_____ 6. Whales are the largest mammals
_____ 7. Found by hikers walking on the beach
_____ 8. Only a few people saw the whale
_____ 9. She climbed slowly up the side of the hill
_____10. They flew kites in the park
_____11. Fought for the right of free speech
_____12. When she wrote the story
_____13. Fishing with her aunt
_____14. Although everyone could vote
_____15. Because of the loud buzzing
_____16. After a short rest, the beaver began building again
_____17. Have you heard about the strange area called the Bermuda Triangle
_____18. Apparently, many ships disappear in this region
_____19. Searching for a reason
_____20. And even blame UFOs

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D. _____ 1. When the hunting season begins

_____ 2. Last summer I visited my grandmother in New Jersey
_____ 3. From the very beginning of the lifesaving lessons
_____ 4. One of the little girls from the neighborhood
_____ 5. The chimes were played by a visiting artist
_____ 6. On the way to school this morning
_____ 7. I love you, Mother, said little Mike
_____ 8. The house next door
_____ 9. After she left
_____10. Speak distinctly
_____11. I have learned to drive our car
_____12. This is Lillians birthday
_____13. At the very last moment
_____14. When you speak
_____15. The basket of fruit on the table
_____16. Please answer the telephone, Julia
_____17. Hurrying to class
_____18. The first thing in the morning
_____19. That mistake was costly
_____20. We are planning to make a new budget
_____21. The dog chased the cat
_____22. Daniel Boone was born in Pennsylvania
_____23. The giant cottonwood in our backyard
_____24. Bess, please bring me my notebook
_____25. On a stool beside the door
_____26. Sometimes the noise from the street
_____27. The clock stopped again during the night
_____28. If in May the weather is too warm
_____29. Over the meadow and through the woods
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_____30. Ground covered with snow

E. _____ 1. While spending last summer in North Carolina

_____ 2. How are pearls formed in oysters
_____ 3. The beautiful tile in this mantle
_____ 4. Did you ever see a meadowlark
_____ 5. Some of the people on our block
_____ 6. Hundreds of cattle on the ranches of Texas
_____ 7. Do you know how the nasturtium got its name
_____ 8. The girls on the way to visit
_____ 9. On the very first day at work
_____10. Into the air the graceful airplane
_____11. The door was made of carved oak
_____12. The glaring headlights blinded us
_____13. I found my book in the car
_____14. The little stream at the back of our farm
_____15. One of the most valuable animals in the world
_____16. The pilot flew for hours through clouds
_____17. Alaska is our largest state
_____18. What sort of puzzle do you have
_____19. Why hasnt the mail been delivered
_____20. There are many beautiful illustrations in this book
_____21. The children were playing bean bag
_____22. The Pilgrims landed on the shores of Massachusetts
_____23. The children who had been playing in the yard
_____24. From the very top of the high flag pole
_____25. Clusters of white roses hung from the trellis
_____26. On my way to the store this morning

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_____27. Under the shade of that big oak

_____28. The trail up Lookout Mountain
_____29. When Lynns little brother cried for his mother
_____30. How many miles of seacoast does the United States have
_____31. The colonists in spite of unfavorable conditions
_____32. Charles has a wonderful stamp collection
_____33. During the day as the clouds grew darker
_____34. You thought it was the right one

Directions: In the following exercises place an S in the blank to the left if a group of
words is a complete sentence, and add the correct punctuation mark at
the end. Then, make each incomplete sentence a complete thought by
rewriting it in the space provided.

A. _____ 1. Into the night

_____ 2. The class planned a trip

_____ 3. We are late

_____ 4. You have many subjects

_____ 5. Math is not hard

_____ 6. Better than some subjects

_____ 7. You can speak French

_____ 8. At the last bell

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_____ 9. Into the homeroom

_____10. I answered correctly

_____11. In the cafeteria

_____12. Prehistoric man knew little about medicine

_____13. Turned to magic to cure illness

_____14. Medicine men wearing ugly masks

_____15. By 3500 B.C. medicine was more popular

_____16. The Greeks made a science of medicine in 900 B.C.

_____17. Medical schools were built

_____18. Hippocrates was a famous Greek doctor

_____19. Called the Father of Medicine

_____20. Another great doctor was Galen of Rome

_____21. His ideas were accepted for 1000 years

_____22. Little progress made in the Dark Ages

_____23. The cause of medicine was helped by Leonardo da Vinci

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_____24. He produced paintings of the human body

_____25. These drawings showed the parts of the body

B. _____ 1. Until the last day

_____ 2. Coming late tonight

_____ 3. The loud explosion scared me

_____ 4. Too late to matter

_____ 5. Had the right answer

_____ 6. Because he heard the band playing

_____ 7. Spring is here

_____ 8. The snow has melted

_____ 9. In front of the last house

_____10. Though she didnt complain

_____11. The fog began to lift

_____12. What we need is some free time

_____13. The new singing rage on television

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_____14. The alarm rang at seven oclock

_____15. As early as possible

_____16. Hardly another person on the street

_____17. The plane travels faster than the speed of sound

_____18. Without damaging the metal

_____19. We are investigating the surface of the moon

_____20. Come here

C. _____ 1. Tom lying on the floor

_____ 2. The old tree was struck by lightning

_____ 3. The creaking sound of a rusty gate

_____ 4. Just as I fell asleep

_____ 5. Jud crawled into the tent

_____ 6. We laughed

_____ 7. The girls laughing, too

_____ 8. If we get enough rain

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_____ 9. Riding through the fog

_____10. The fire gone from the stove

_____11. I live in that hotel

_____12. At the other end of the rope

_____13. She turned as slowly as she could

_____14. They were gathering rocks

_____15. The cake is ruined

_____16. If the cookies are burned

_____17. The car turning the corner

_____18. After Joe finished his dinner

_____19. Tall building on the right

_____20. Over the lawn and onto the porch

Directions: The following groups of words are not complete sentences. Correct each
group by either adding or subtracting words, and then put the correct
punctuation at the end.

1. Wish you were here

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2. Having lots of fun with the fellows and girls

3. The beautiful lake with the high diving board

4. Boating, swimming, and sailing

5. The best sport

6. A wonderful, thrilling pastime

7. The unforgettable sight of sails in the wind

8. Liz and her boat, The Sea Breeze

9. Up to the bay

10. Then to Stone Harbor

11. A good time

12. Not only yesterday, but every day

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13. See you on the eleventh

Directions: Using the following words to begin sentences, write 10 complete

sentences.

1. My friend

2. After

3. Running

4. The accident

5. In the morning

6. The men and women

7. Everyone

8. Since

9. I

10. Because
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