incomplete sentence
Lacks required parts
An incomplete sentence lacks a subject, verb, or complete thought—the elements required for grammatical independence.
In formal writing, incomplete sentences are errors.
But in speech and casual writing, they're natural and effective: Ready when you are.
Not a chance.
The more the merrier.
Writers use them deliberately for emphasis, rhythm, or conversational tone.
- ellipsisMark indicating omitted words
- unfinishedNot yet complete
- dangling modifierPhrase with unclear referent
- fragmentIncomplete portion of whole
- truncationCutting something shorter
subject · interruption · left hanging · awkward pause · enjambment · dependent clause · predicate · lacuna · comma splice · trailing off · dot dot dot · clause · phrase · verb · brevity · implication · unspoken words · context
- text errorstypo, misspelling, misprint, spelling mistake, missing letter
- disfluencystutter, stammer, stammering, stuttering, disfluency
- grammar errorscomma splice, syntax error, fragment, run-on, dangling modifier
- sentence fragmentsfragment, dependent clause, subordinate clause, phrase, ellipsis
- punctuation errorscomma splice, missing period, apostrophe error, apostrophe misuse, extra period
incomplete sentencecomplete sentence
independent clause · main clause · declarative sentence · simple sentence · compound sentence
incomplete, sentence, complete, completely, completion, incompletely, incompleteness, completeness, completer