Write a Complete Sentence

Write a Complete Sentence

What students learn

Students learn that a complete sentence tells a whole idea, begins with a capital letter, and ends with punctuation. Begin with Complete Sentence: A Sentence Needs a Capital Letter and Makes Sense to notice what a sentence must do.

Why it matters

Complete sentences help students say exactly what they mean in writing. When a child can add a subject and a verb and finish with the right end mark, the writing makes sense to other people too. Complete Sentence: Add the Subject and Verb helps students see the parts that make the sentence complete.

Learn the idea

A complete sentence has a capital letter at the start, a subject and verb in the middle, spaces between the words, and punctuation at the end. Complete Sentence: Finish the Sentence and Try One Yourself shows how to check the whole sentence before calling it done.

Try it

Show a picture and ask the child to write one complete sentence about it. Remind them to begin with a capital letter, leave spaces between words, and finish with the right end mark.

Parent guide

If the child writes a fragment, ask, "Who or what is this sentence about?" and "What is it doing?" Then help them add the missing part and reread the sentence out loud to check that it sounds complete.