Me: “Let’s take a look at your teacher’s comments on your essay.”
10th Grader: “OK.” [Shares screen, scrolls through.] “Sentence fragment.” [Keeps scrolling]. “Run-on sentence.”
Me: “Let’s stop there. Do you know what a sentence fragment is? Or a run-on sentence?”
10th Grader: “A run-on sentence is a sentence without a period, and a sentence fragment is…is a…a…” [Long pause.] “I have no idea.” [Looks defeated, ashamed.]
Life Sentence: A Short Drama
10th Grader: “A run-on sentence is a sentence without a period, and a sentence fragment is…is a…I have no idea.” [Looks defeated, ashamed.] Me: “So what makes a sentence a sentence?” 10th Grader: “I honestly have no idea.” Me: "You're in excellent company. Most adults I ask also cannot tell me."
