A complete thought is an idea, expressed in a sentence, that makes sense by itself, without additional words. An incomplete thought leaves readers wondering what’s going on.
| INCOMPLETE THOUGHT | because my alarm did not go off |
| COMPLETE THOUGHT | I was late because my alarm did not go off. |
| INCOMPLETE THOUGHT | the people who won the lottery |
| COMPLETE THOUGHT | The people who won the lottery were old. |
To determine whether a thought is complete, ask yourself: Do I have to ask a question to understand?
| INCOMPLETE THOUGHT |
in my wallet [You would have to ask a question to understand, so it is not a complete thought.] |
| COMPLETE THOUGHT | My ticket is in my wallet. |