1. Sentences, fragments, & prepositions…
Write a sentence…any sentence!
Pair up w/ a partner.
Share your sentences.
Together, write a definition of a sentence.

2. What makes a sentence? A Subject A Verb
What does the subject do?
Tells whom or what did something…
You should ask, “Who or what did something?”
A Verb
What is a verb?
What does a verb do?
You should ask, “What did s/he/it do”
Subject + Verb = Simple Sentence

3. Which are sentences & Which Aren’t?
Sentence or Fragment?
Sentence or Fragment?
Subject
Verb
Simple Sentence
S or F ?
Jenny smiled.
When I was five.
Staring at the lake.
Brian winced.
Not now.
“She’s coming!”
S or F ?
S or F ?
S or F ?
S or F ?
S or F ?

4. So…what is a fragment? A written phrase that is missing a subject
a verb
or is not a complete thought.

5. Read these fragments carefully…
Across the river
Underneath the porch
Without my coat on
Since last month
Beside the rock wall
Out on a floating log
About the house
From the backyard
Past the red mailbox
Before I go to bed
At six o’clock
Among the weeds
What do these fragments have in common?

6. The first word of each frag- ment was a PREPOSITION!
Location
Above, across, against, along, among
Around, at, behind, below, beside
Between, beyond, by, down, from
In, inside, into, near, off, on, out
Outside, over, past, through, to
Toward, under, underneath, up, within
Time
After, as, before
During, since, until
Other Relationships
About, despite, except, for, like
Of, per, than, with, without
The first word of each frag- ment was a PREPOSITION!
PREPOSITIONS List

7. My neighbor said she wanted to ask me
My neighbor said she wanted to ask me. Little did I know what was when I agreed to feed her cat. I walked. Once I got, I was overwhelmed. I looked and couldn’t believe what I saw. My eyes fell sitting, which was completely covered. The volume was turned up all the way. I walked. I saw these red velvety mushrooms coming up. This filth was I’d ever seen. The cat was fed and I was out. I have never been available to watch her cat again.
Source: Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson, pg. 74

8. My neighbor said she wanted to ask me for a small favor
My neighbor said she wanted to ask me for a small favor. Little did I know what was in store for me when I agreed to feed her cat. After my neighbor left on her trip, I walked across the street to her house. Once I got inside the house, I was overwhelmed by the stench of cat odor. I looked around the house and couldn’t believe what I saw. My eyes fell on two salad dressing containers sitting on a table beside the couch, which was completely covered with dirty laundry, except for this one worn area by the table. The volume on the TV was turned up all the way. In disbelief and despite my better judgment, I walked toward the restroom. Around the base of the tub, I saw these red velvety mushrooms coming up between the tub and the tile floor. This filth was beyond anything I’d ever seen in my life. Within two minutes, the cat was fed and I was out of there. Since she returned from her trip, I have never been available to watch her cat again.
Source: Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson, pg. 74