Transcript Diagramming Sentences

Diagramming Sentences
Diagramming sentences is a way for us to break a sentence
down to its smallest parts.
By doing this, you are practicing analysis skills and
decoding the meaning behind words.
V. Hinkle
Let’s start simply.
• Begin by finding the subject and the verb.
James slept.
Let’s start simply.
• Begin by finding the subject and the verb.
S
V
James slept.
Start diagramming!
James
slept
• Write the subject and verb on the base line.
• Separate them with a vertical line that crosses the base line.
Start diagramming!
• Sometimes, even simple sentences don’t seem to fit
what we know about subjects and verbs.
• For example, look at the following sentence:
Stop!
• Even though it seems like it doesn’t have a subject, it
has an implied subject.
(you)
stop
Your turn to practice.
1. Mary sneezes.
2. I danced.
3. We sing.
4. Wait!
Um… But these are simple…
• To diagram more complicated sentences, we need to
learn a bit more about grammar.
James threw baseballs.
Um… But these are simple…
• To diagram more complicated sentences, we need to
learn a bit more about grammar.
S
V
James threw baseballs.
Um… But these are simple…
• To diagram more complicated sentences, we need to
learn a bit more about grammar.
S
V
DO
James threw baseballs.
•
•
•
•
The direct object receives the action done by the subject.
It always follows an action verb.
Find the direct object (DO) by asking who or what.
Example: What did James throw? Baseballs.
Start diagramming!
James
•
•
•
•
threw
baseballs
Write the subject and verb on the base line.
Separate them with a vertical line that crosses the base line.
Write the direct object on the base line.
Separate it with a vertical line that ENDS at the base line.
Your turn to practice.
5. Mary carries money.
6. I send emails.
7. We sing songs.
Another example:
Birds
are singing
• Birds are singing.
• Write the simple subject and verb on the line.
• Separate them with a vertical line that crosses the base line.
What if we describe the subject?
artists
paint
• Talented artists paint.
• “Talented” describes “artists.”
• Write it on a diagonal line below the word it describes.
What if we describe the verb?
Artists
paint
• Talented artists paint well.
• “Well” describes how they paint.
• Write it on a diagonal line below the word it describes.
What if there is a direct object?
Artists
paint
pictures
• What do artists paint?
• Talented artists paint pictures well.
• Write the direct object after the verb.
• Draw a vertical separator which stops at the line.
Have you noticed?
Artists
paint
• The vertical line that
separates the subject
from the verb crosses
the base line.
pictures
• The vertical line that
separates the verb from
the direct object stops
at the base line.
What if we describe the direct object?
Artists
paint
pictures
• Talented artists paint realistic pictures well.
• What kind of pictures do artists paint?
• “Realistic” describes “pictures.”
• Write it on a diagonal line under “pictures.”
• Next up:
• Prepositional phrase
What if there is a prepositional phrase?
Artists
paint
pictures
people
• Talented artists paint realistic pictures of people.
• What do artists paint pictures of?
• “Of people” describes the pictures.
• Write it on a frame under “pictures.”
Try a different prepositional phrase.
Artists
paint
pictures
canvas
• Talented artists paint realistic pictures on canvas.
• Where do artists paint pictures? “on canvas.”
• How, when, and where describe verbs.
• Write it on a frame under “paint.”