Grammar Check: 'That river empties into the Gulf of Mexico' Is a Complete Sentence
Yes, "That river empties into the Gulf of Mexico" is a grammatically complete sentence. It is a declarative sentence—a statement of fact.
Structure Analysis
- Subject: "That river" (noun phrase with demonstrative adjective "that" modifying "river").
- Predicate: "empties into the Gulf of Mexico" (verb phrase).
- Verb: "empties" (intransitive verb, present tense, third-person singular).
- Prepositional Phrase: "into the Gulf of Mexico" (indicates direction/destination).
- Object of Preposition: "the Gulf of Mexico" (proper noun phrase).
The sentence expresses a complete thought: a specific river (identified by context or proximity) flows into the named body of water. No additional clauses or phrases are needed for grammatical completeness.