diagramming sentences the basics

7/28/2019 Diagramming Sentences the Basics

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Sentence Types

and

DiagrammingThe Basics


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Two ways that parts of speech fit together into

expressionCLAUSES:

Subject: noun(s) or pronoun(s); words or word groups that act like nouns

Starts the action

Answers the question Who or What

relevant modifiers

articles, adjectives and other words or word groups

describe the subject, or other words that modify the subject

Predicate: verbs: transitive or intransitive verbs; linking verbsobjects: nouns or pronouns affected by a transitive verbrelevant modifiers

adverbs and descriptive phrases phrases

describe the action, its object, or other words that modify the these

Independent: can stand on its own as a sentence; main clause

Dependent: cannot stand on its own; subordinate clause

modifies part or all of another clause

PHRASES: verbal phrases; prepositional phrases; appositive phrases

Word groups: lack a subject and predicate verb

Descriptive: act like adjectives or adverbs; modify

Informative: add more information to an idea


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Fourreasons to express

yourself in a sentence.TO DECLARE: A DECLARATIVE SENTENCEdeclares something as though fact. Monday is a federal holiday.

Ends in a period.

Doesnt have to be true to be declared as though factual.

TO ASK: AN INTEROGATIVE SENTENCE asks a questions or expresses in a questioningway.

Does that mean we dont have class on Monday?

Ends in a question mark, always. [?]

TO COMMAND: AN IMPERATIVE SENTENCE demands or requests that some action beobeyed; related to imperious: from a position of high authority

Dont expect to have Tuesday off, though. Please keep up with the assigned reading.

Ends in a period.

Always impliesthat the subject is the pronoun you.

TO EXCLAIM: AN EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE shouts or expresses intensity. If you miss all of next weeks classes, there will be hell to pay!

Ends in an exclamation point [!].

Interjections, phrases, even single words, can become sentences when they are exclaimed, because the missing wordsare implied. (E.g., Late again!)


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Four ways to constructa

sentence using parts of speech.A SIMPLE SENTENCE One, and onlyone, main clause (an independent clause), and no other clauses.

Any number of phrases may be included.

The responsibilities of a beekeeper can sometimes be heavy.

A COMPLEX SENTENCE One, main clause (an independent clause), and one or more subordinate clauses (dependent

clauses).

The responsibilities of a beekeeper, which are too numerous to list, can sometimes be heavy.

A COMPOUND SENTENCE Two or more main clause connected by a coordinating conjunction; NO subordinate clauses.

The responsibilities of a beekeeper can sometimes be heavy, but the reward of raising bees are

great.

A COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE Two or more main clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction, andat least one subordinate

clause.

The responsibilities of a beekeeper, which are too numerous to list, can sometimes be heavy, but thereward of raising bees are great if you respect these industrious and important little insects.


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The Rules

[for all sentence types] Horizontal lines are for . . .

Verbs

Nouns, including

Pronouns

Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

Infinitive Noun Phrases

Solid Vertical Lines are for . . .

Bisecting or intersecting horizontal lines, to separate nouns from verbs

Solid Diagonal lines are for . . .

Modifiers and Modifying Phrases


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Diagramming a Simple Sentence

Start with a horizontal line


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If the verb is transitive, divide the

Predicate Verb from the Predicate Object

with a perpendicular line.


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Place the Subject of your main clause to

the left, on the bisected line.


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Place the Predicate Verb of your main

clause to the right of the bisection.


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If your Predicate Verb is transitive, place

its object to the right of the perpendicular

line (still part of the Predicate).


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Modifiers or Modifying

Phrases Placed on solid diagonal lines underthe words they modify

Adjectives, Adjective phrases

Adverbs, Adverb phrases

Infinitive Modifying phrases

Participles and Participial Phrases Prepositional Phrases

Adjectives

Go under nouns, and

Answer the questions What kind? How many? Which?Whose? and Whats it like?

Adverbs

Go under verbs or alongside other adjectives and adverbs, and

Answer the questions When? Where (in what direction)?How? or How much? (To what degree?)


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Place a modifier or modifying phrase on a diagonal under the word

it describes. If it is a phrase containing object nouns (e.g.., a

preposition phrase), make sure nouns go on horizontal lines, and

their modifiers go on diagonal lines underthem. Remember, some

adverbs can modify adjectives and other adverbs; attach thesealongside them.


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Compound Elements

Compound elements in a clause or phrase are split and stackedon horizontal lines.

Dashed Vertical Lines connect compound elements and labelthe coordinating conjunction


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Compound Elements Compound Verbs can sometimes be a combination oftransitive and

intransitive.

When Transitive Verbs are part of Compound Elements, theirPredicate Objects must be included with them.


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Sophisticated Phrases,

Simple Sentences Words and phrases that act like more than one part of speech

use, both, diagonal and horizontal lines; these include

Participial Phrases

Gerund Phrases Infinitive Phrases

Prepositional Phrases


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GERUNDS and GERUND

PHRASES When whole phrases or clauses behave like nouns (regardless if it is the

subject, predicate or object of a preposition), a tripod elevates the entirediagrammed phrase or clause over the appropriate place on the horizontal line.

Like any noun, a gerund goes on a horizontal line, but because it is a verbal, it

has the potential to be derived from a transitive verb, which takes objects. Youllnote, then the similarities between diagramming a predicate verb and its objectand any verbal and its object. Also, since verbals are like verbs, they may alsocome with their own modifiers and modifying phrases that would go under themon diagonal lines.

Remember, because they are nouns, gerunds answer the question, What?


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GERUNDS and GERUND

PHRASES Heres an example of a gerund that is the object of a prepositional

phrase


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PARTICIPLES and

PARTICIPIAL PHRASES A PARTICIPIAL PHRASEis a kind of ADJECTIVE, but its derived from a

VERB. It is represented on a sentence diagram, both, as a modifier and as a

verb: it uses a diagonal line under the noun it modifies. Because it derives from

a verb, however, it also acts like a verb on a diagram and is also situated on a

straight horizontal line, along with any object that might follow it (if it derives from

a transitive verb).

Note how a participial will answer the question Whatkind? orWhich? This is

how you know its behaving as an adjective.


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PARTICIPLES and

PARTICIPIAL PHRASES Heres an example of a past participle that modifies the object

noun in a Simple Sentence; however, the participle was derivedfrom an intransitive verb, so it takes no object. Note how it is,both, on a diagonal line and on a horizontal one, because it is,

both, a modifier and like a verb.


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INFINITIVES and INFINITIVE

PHRASES INFINITIVE PHRASESare not difficult to diagram, but they tend

to be a little tricky to identify because they can assume the roleof three different parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, andadverbs. They are certainly no t verbs, in any case.

Additionally, many students confuse the Infinitive Particle to(which should always precede an infinitive) with the Prepositionto. They are not related, and writers simply need to make amental note of this and remember to distinguish the two.

Like other verbals, infinitives can take an object if they derivefrom transitive verbs, and this must be accounted for in thediagram.

Also like other verbals, infinitives are diagrammed on tripods.


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PHRASES: Nouns When an INFINITIVE can be used as an answer to the question

What? orWho? it takes the role of a NOUN and suggests an action

as a concept--one of the four ways of defining a noun: person, place,

thing, or concept. (In this respect, it is used in the same way as a

GERUND.) In the following example, an infinitive acts as the subject ofa Simple Sentence; since only nouns and pronouns can ever be

subjects, it is clear that the infinitive is behaving like a noun, and its

predicate verb is takes.


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PHRASES: Ad jec t ives When an INFINITIVE answers the question Which? or

Whose? it takes the role of an adjective and modifies a noun.

In the following example, an ADJECTIVAL INFINITIVE PHRASE

describes the subject of a Simple Sentence. [Note: Just as

adverbs can modify verbs, they can also modify verbals; the

infinitive tobeat is modified by the adverbial phrase thisyear

because it answers the question When?]


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PHRASES: Adverbs When an INFINITIVE answers the question How? orWhen?

it is often an adverb and modifies a verb, adjective or, in rarer

cases, another adverb.

This first example demonstrates the most common adverbialinfinitive phrase: modifying a verb. Note how it answers why

they attended; this is how you know it modifies the verb attend.


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PHRASES: Adverbs This example demonstrates shows a less common variety of

adverbial infinitive phrase: one that modifies an adjective.

The adjective being modified in this case is a past participle (aword that was a verb but is now a modifier).


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PHRASES: Adverbs This next example demonstrates a rarer variety of adverbial

infinitive phrase: one that modifies another adverb. Note how

the infinitive phrases answers the question, How much too

greatly? Remember, answering the question How is a clue

that the word or phrase is an adverb.


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COMPOUND SENTENCES

The separate clauses of compound sentences are split andstacked, and connected by the coordinating conjunction.


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COMPLEX SENTENCES

Long, dashed diagonal lines connect Subordinate Clauses andoften mark Subordinating Conjunctions.


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COMPOUND-COMPLEX

SENTENCES The separate clauses of compound sentences are split and

stacked, and connected by the coordinating conjunction.

Long, dashed diagonal lines connect Subordinate Clauses andoften mark Subordinating Conjunctions.

EXAMPLE: Sue left school early because she felt ill, but hermother brought her back later because her daughter was fakingher symptoms.


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