A sentence with a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought is called what?

A sentence that includes a subject and a verb but fails to express a complete thought is referred to as a fragment. Fragments often leave the reader wanting more information, as they do not provide a full idea or complete assertion. For example, a fragment might include phrases like "Although she was tired" or "Running through the park," which suggest a continuation is necessary to convey clear meaning.

In contrast, a compound sentence connects two independent clauses, a complex sentence combines an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses, and a simple sentence consists of a single independent clause with its own subject and verb. Recognizing a fragment is important for writing clear and complete sentences, as it highlights the need to expand the thought into a full sentence that can stand alone.