• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (What makes a sentence?; Who or what? Did what? (subject and predicate)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which one is a complete sentence? • my sister likes • likes apples • My sister apples. • My sister likes apples. (my sister likes / likes apples / My sister apples. / My sister likes apples.) → My sister likes apples.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
2. Which part is the SUBJECT (who or what the sentence is about)? Three red balloons floated into the sky. (Three red balloons / Three red / into the sky / balloons floated) → Three red balloonsPrompt: Ask: who or what did something?
3. Which part is the PREDICATE (what the subject does)? Three red balloons floated into the sky. (Three red balloons / red balloons / balloons floated / floated into the sky.) → floated into the sky.Prompt: Find the subject first: who or what?

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Complete sentence or fragment?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? After lunch on Friday.
• Step 1: A complete sentence has a subject and a verb and makes sense on its own. A fragment is missing something.
• Step 2: So the answer is: fragment
• Answer: fragment
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? The big brown dog slept in the garden. (complete sentence / fragment) → complete sentencePrompt: Does it say WHO or WHAT, and what they DO or ARE?
2. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Because it was raining. (Raining because it was. / Because, it was raining. / Because it was raining a lot. / We stayed in because it was raining.) → We stayed in because it was raining.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Under the bed. (The slippers are under the bed. / Under, the bed. / Under the big bed. / Under the bed, quickly.) → The slippers are under the bed.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.
2. Which one is a fragment? (If it snows tomorrow, we will sledge. / If it snows tomorrow. / Look at the snow! / It might snow tomorrow.) → If it snows tomorrow.Prompt: Read each one aloud. Which leaves you waiting for more?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.