Diagramming Sentences

Diagramming SentencesLesson 1

• The easiest sentence diagrams have only two lines: a horizontal line and a vertical line.

Kids play.

Most verbs have quite a few forms. Some of the forms of the verb play include: are playing do play, played, were

playing, did play, will play, will be playing, have played, had played, and had been playing

• Kids were playing.

• Flags will be waving.

• Friends had been talking.

Lesson 2Definite and Indefinite Articles

.

The= a definite article

A or An= an indefinite articleTo diagram and article, place it on diagonal line under the noun it modifies.

farmers have been working

The

Lesson 3Predicate Nominatives

A noun or pronoun that comes after the form of thw verb be or become and repeats, identifies, or describes the subject

is called a predicate nominative

• 1. He was an officer.• 2. The women have become doctors.• 3. Anna will become a teacher.• 4. The name is Jay.• 5. A brother should be a friend.

In a sentence diagram, a predicate nominative appears after a

backslash.

He was officer

an

women have become doctors

The

Practice1. Alan will become a teacher.

2. The name is Jay.

3. A brother should be a friend.

Lesson 4: Attribute AdjectivesAn adjective is a word that modifies a

noun or pronoun. They are diagrammed just like articles.

1. The Wilsons are nice people.

Wilsons are people

The

nice

Practice

1. The new students are Nigerians.

2. Kelly was a strong swimmer.

Lesson 5: Predicate AdjectivesAn adjective that follows a linking verb

and modifies the subject of the sentence is called a predicate adjective

1. They are thirsty.

2. The boys are becoming angry.

3. She must be exhausted.

4. Your parents will be proud.

A predicate adjective is preceded in a sentence diagram by a

backslash.

They are thirsty

boys are becoming angry

The

Practice

• 1. She must be exhausted.

• 2. Your parents will be proud.

Lesson 6: Possessive NounsThe possessive nouns my, your, his, her, its our, and their also modify nouns and are sometimes

called pronominal adjectives. They are

diagrammed exactly like other adjectives.

They are our new neighbors.

They are neighbors

our

new

The possessive nouns mine, yours, his, hers, its ours, and theirs are always used separately from

the noun they modify

That book is mine.

book is mine

That

Lesson 7: Direct ObjectsA nouns or pronoun that receives the action of

the verb directly is called a direct object.

In a sentence diagram, a direct object is preceded by a vertical line that stands on the horizontal line.

He likes Amy.

Practice- Direct Object

1. She has a little brother.

2. The doctor won an award.

3. Her friends ate delicious hamburgers.

Lesson 8: Questions

Questions often begin with a verb followed by a subject.

Example: Are you his brother?

When diagramming a question, put the subject first, and capitalize the verb even though it is not the first word in the sentence

Are you his brother?

Hints: Subject goes first

Capitalize the verb since it was the first word in the sentence

Practice

1. Do you like artichokes?

2. Have you been resting?

3. Do you have a dollar?

4. May I help you

Lesson 9: Adverbs

-Words that modify verbs are adverbs. Examples:

1. Mary can run fast.

2. The young rider held the reigns tightly.

3. Our teacher never relaxes.

• Adverbs can also modify adjectives.– Examples

1. The athletes were very tired.

2. Our class has not read a more exciting book.

3. This game is too boring.

Adverbs can modify other adverbs.

1.The visitor spoke too softly.

2.The cars are moving very softly.

Practice

1. Mary can run fast.

2. Our class has not read a more exciting book.

3. The cars are moving very slowly.

What kind of seeds?

• Hamsters eat sunflower seeds.

Hamsters eat seeds

“Sunflower” describes “seeds.”

Write it on a diagonal line under “seeds.”

sunflowe

r

Practice

• 1. Hungry monkeys eat bananas.

• 2. Hungry monkeys eat sweet bananas in the trees.

Have you noticed?

• Only subjects, verbs, and objects

• Go on the horizontal line.

• Words that describe them go below them on diagonal lines.

Monkeys eat bananas

Hungry

sweet

in trees

the

Review:

1. Crazy elephants dance.

2. Crazy elephants dance quickly.

3. Yellow fish eat bugs under the rock.

4. Yellow fish eat tiny bugs under the gigantic rock.

More Practice

• The annoying little boy ate a fried chicken leg.

• The annoying little boy ate a fried chicken leg during dinner.

1. I like to drink Gatorade.

2. I like to drink sugary Gatorade at the football game.

3. We like to eat cotton candy at the fair.

4. We like to eat pink cotton candy at the state fair.

Review

• 1. The girl lost the pink teddy bear while at the park.

That’s All . . .

• For now

• Next up:

• Linking verbs

• with subject complements

Linking Verbs Song

Sing to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”

am, are, is, was, were, (and) be,forms of be, forms of be,

taste, smell, sound, seem, look, feel, saybecome, grow, appear, remain.

Subject Complements

• A word or group of words that follow a linking verb and renames or describes the subject

• Examples:1. Pennysylvania is the Keystone State.

• 2. The Liberty bell is historic.

• 3. The capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.

Linking verbs

• Tweety is yellow.

Tweety

subject

is

verb

yellow

Subject complement

What follows a linking verb renames or describes the subject.

It is a complement, not a direct object.

Linking verbs

• Tweety is yellow.

Tweety

subject

is

verb

yellow

Subject complement

Because the complement describes the subject, the dividing line tilts back toward the subject.

Try another sentence.

• Georgie is a cat.

Georgie is cat

a

• Cat = renames Georgie.

• Cat = predicate noun.

Add more description.

• Poor Sylvester is a frustrated predator.

Sylvester is predatoraPoor

frustrated

• Predator = renames Sylvester.

• Predator = predicate noun.

Other linking verbs

• The pot of brains smells suspiciously rancid.

pot smells rancid

ofThe

suspiciously

brains

• Rancid = describes the pot.

• Rancid = predicate adjective.

Practice

• 1. The evil witch is frightening.

• 2. The evil witch is frightening me.

• 3. The pot of boiling soup looks amazingly delicious.

More Practice

• 1. We are neighbors.• 2. Rembrandt was an artist.• 3. The book became a movie.• 4. Anne was a musician. • 5.. Pennsylvania is the Keystone State.• 6. The Liberty bell is historic.• 7. The capital of Pennsylvania is

Harrisburg.

That’s All . . .

• For now