Language Arts
“Good grammar is not about sounding fancy. It helps your reader follow your message.” — Lady Flawless
🎯 Your Mission
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Identify the parts of a complete sentence.
Recognize sentence fragments.
Recognize run-on sentences.
Select the best correction in a GED-style editing question.
🎙️ Lady Flawless Intro
Lady Flawless displays a message:
Running late. Because the bus.
She laughs:
“Your friend might understand this message, but formal writing needs complete thoughts.”
“On the GED, you will edit sentences so the reader can understand exactly what happened.”
⭐ What Makes a Complete Sentence?
A complete sentence needs:
A Subject
Who or what is the sentence about?
A Verb
What is the subject doing, feeling, or being?
A Complete Thought
Does the sentence communicate a complete message?
🧠 The Flawless Sentence Check
Ask three questions:
Who or what is this about?
What is happening?
Does the thought feel complete?
Example
Maya completed the application.
Subject: Maya
Verb: completed
Complete thought: Yes
🚫 What Is a Fragment?
A fragment is an incomplete sentence.
It may be missing:
A subject
A verb
A complete thought
Fragment
Because Maya needed a new job.
This leaves the reader waiting:
What happened because Maya needed a new job?
Complete Sentence
Because Maya needed a new job, she completed the application.
⭐ Watch for These Fragment Starters
These words often introduce an incomplete thought:
Because
Although
When
While
Since
If
After
Before
These words are not wrong. They simply require another part to complete the thought.
Fragment
Although Terrence felt nervous.
Complete Sentence
Although Terrence felt nervous, he completed the interview.
🚫 What Is a Run-on?
A run-on sentence happens when two complete thoughts are joined incorrectly.
Run-on
Terrence completed the interview he called his sister.
This contains two complete thoughts:
Terrence completed the interview.
He called his sister.
They need a proper connection.
🔧 Three Ways to Fix a Run-on
Use a Period
Terrence completed the interview. He called his sister.
Use a Comma and Connecting Word
Terrence completed the interview, and he called his sister.
Common connecting words include:
And
But
Or
So
Yet
Use a Semicolon
Terrence completed the interview; he called his sister.
⭐ Long Sentence or Run-on?
A long sentence is not automatically a run-on.
Correct Long Sentence
After completing her evening shift, Carla drove to the library, reviewed two chapters, completed a practice test, and created a study plan for the following week.
The sentence is long, but its ideas are connected correctly.
📖 Original Editing Passage
Read the passage:
Keisha worked full time while completing a medical assistant course. Because she wanted to change careers. She studied after her children went to bed, she reviewed flashcards during lunch.
🔍 Find the Problems
Fragment
Because she wanted to change careers.
This does not complete the thought.
Run-on
She studied after her children went to bed, she reviewed flashcards during lunch.
A comma alone cannot correctly join these two complete thoughts.
✅ Corrected Passage
Keisha worked full time while completing a medical assistant course because she wanted to change careers. She studied after her children went to bed, and she reviewed flashcards during lunch.
🎮 Question 1
Which revision best corrects the fragment?
Original:
The learning center added an evening class. Because many students worked during the day.
A. The learning center added an evening class because many students worked during the day.
B. Because many students. Worked during the day.
C. The learning center. Added an evening class because.
D. Many students because the evening class.
✅ Correct Answer: A
The revision combines the incomplete thought with the complete sentence.
🎮Question 2
Which revision best corrects the run-on?
Original:
Marcus completed the application he submitted it before the deadline.
A. Marcus completed the application, he submitted it before the deadline.
B. Marcus completed the application and before the deadline.
C. Marcus completed the application, and he submitted it before the deadline.
D. Completing the application before the deadline.
✅ Correct Answer: C
A comma and the connecting word and properly join the two complete thoughts.
🎮Question 3
Which option is a complete sentence?
A. Because the bus arrived late.
B. While waiting near the entrance.
C. The instructor reviewed the assignment.
D. After completing the final question.
✅ Correct Answer: C
It contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
💻 Simulated Drop-Down Editing
Choose the best option for each blank:
Renee wanted to earn a professional certification.
[Because the certification could help her qualify for a promotion. / Because the certification could help her qualify for a promotion, she enrolled in an evening course.]
The course required several projects [Renee completed each one. / , Renee completed each one. / and Renee completing each one.]
✅ Correct Selections
Because the certification could help her qualify for a promotion, she enrolled in an evening course.
The course required several projects. Renee completed each one.
🧠 Your Turn
Correct the following passage:
Jordan wanted to apply for a supervisor position. Although he had several years of experience. He updated his résumé he asked his manager to review it.
Possible Correction
Jordan wanted to apply for a supervisor position because he had several years of experience. He updated his résumé, and he asked his manager to review it.
Another correct option:
Jordan wanted to apply for a supervisor position. He had several years of experience. He updated his résumé and asked his manager to review it.
🚫 Watch Out for Editing Traps
A wrong answer may:
Still be incomplete.
Join two sentences with only a comma.
Remove words that are necessary for the meaning.
Create a new grammar error.
Sound different without actually fixing the problem.
Always reread the complete sentence after selecting an answer.
⭐ Exit Ticket
Which sentence is a run-on?
A. After the meeting ended, Simone returned to work.
B. Simone completed the report, and she emailed it to her manager.
C. Simone completed the report she emailed it to her manager.
D. Because Simone completed the report, she left early.
✅ Correct Answer: C
🎤 Lady Flawless Outro
“Champ, every complete sentence needs someone or something, an action or state, and a complete thought.”
“Find the fragments. Separate the run-ons. Then reread your correction to make sure the message is clear.”