Diagramming Sentences

Diagramming Sentences Lesson 1 The easiest sentence diagrams have only two lines: a horizontal line and a vertical line. Kids play.

Friends had been talking. 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 2 Definite and Indefinite Articles The= a definite article A or An= an indefinite article To diagram and article, place it on diagonal line under the noun it modifies. farmers have been working The .

Lesson 3 Predicate 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

Practice Alan will become a teacher. The name is Jay. A brother should be a friend.

Lesson 4: Attribute Adjectives An 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 The new students are Nigerians. 2. Kelly was a strong swimmer.

Lesson 5: Predicate Adjectives An adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of the sentence is called a predicate adjective They are thirsty. The boys are becoming angry. She must be exhausted. 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 Nouns The 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 new our

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 Objects A 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 She has a little brother. The doctor won an award. 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 Do you like artichokes? Have you been resting? Do you have a dollar? 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. The visitor spoke too softly. The cars are moving very softly.

Practice Mary can run fast. Our class has not read a more exciting book. 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.”

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 in trees sweet Hungry the

Review: Crazy elephants dance. Crazy elephants dance quickly. Yellow fish eat bugs under the rock. 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.

I like to drink Gatorade. I like to drink sugary Gatorade at the football game. We like to eat cotton candy at the fair. 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, say become, 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 is yellow subject verb 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 is yellow subject verb 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 predator a Poor frustrated Predator = renames Sylvester. Predator = predicate noun.

Other linking verbs pot smells rancid of The suspiciously brains The pot of brains smells suspiciously rancid. pot smells rancid of The brains suspiciously 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