1. Diagramming Sentences …adding prepositional phrases
12/6/2018 3:40 PM
Diagramming Sentences …adding prepositional phrases
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2. Remember diagramming’s
Prime Directive:
Modifiers go underneath
that which they modify… and prepositional phrases are simply modifiers…

3. Prepositions start prepositional phrases
They are often followed by an adjective or two, but they ALWAYS end with a noun or pronoun, which is called the object of the preposition (OP)
Nouns/pronouns always go on straight lines
Adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions go on diagonal lines
Every phrase is diagrammed in the same basic format:
preposition
Obj. of the preposition
Adjective

4. Determine the preposition, the OP, and any adj
Diagram : in the rain
prep adj OP
Determine the preposition, the OP, and any adj
Draw the prepositional phrase form
Place the preposition on the diagonal line
Place the OP on the straight line
Place any adjectives on the diagonal line under the OP in
rain
the

5. Next, you have to determine whether the prepositional phrase modifies the subject part or the verb part of the sentence
If the phrase gives you additional information about the subject, it goes under the subject and is therefore an ADJECTIVE phrase since the subject is a noun or pronoun
It will usually come immediately after the noun/pronoun it describes
Take the entire construct, and attach it to the subject line as follows: S V
prep OP
Adj

6. Diagram the following sentence: The girl with the pink bow sang beautifully. Adj S prep phrase V adv First, determine the S and V, then any prepositional phrases, and then determine adverbs and adjectives Decide whether the prepositional phrase is describing the subject, (girl) or the verb (sang) Draw your baseline appropriately and add the cross line Then place your S and V, and draw the diagonal lines necessary Place your prepositional phrase and modifiers appropriately
girl
sang
The
with
bow
beautifully
pink
the

7. Diagram the following sentences:
The boy in the black hat argued ferociously.
The girls in the science class studied furiously.
The lonely dog in the kennel barked loudly.

8. If you determine that a prepositional phrase is describing or modifying the verb (telling how, when, where, or why), it is then an ADVERB phrase and the entire construct goes under the verb The diagram will then look like this: S V
prep OP
Adj

9. Diagram the following sentence: We ran quickly through the park.
S V adv prep phrase
Determine the S and V, the prep phrase, and any modifiers
Determine what the prep phrase is modifying
If it is telling you about the verb—how, when, where or why, the entire prep. phrase construct goes under the verb.
Draw the appropriate base line and cross line
Draw diagonal lines for modifiers and your prepositional phrase construct We
ran
through
quickly
park
the

10. Diagram the following sentences:
The wet dog sat in the pouring rain.
The sporty, red car stopped at the light.
Shannon shopped at the mall with her friends.

11. To really complicate the issue…
Sticking to the rule that modifiers go underneath that which they modify, some prepositional phrases modify the object of another prepositional phrase
For example:
The girl in the red dress with blue dots danced wildly.
Adj S prep phrase prep phrase V Adv
Determine the S and V, prep phrases and modifiers
The first prep phrase describes ‘girl,’ and the second phrase describes ‘dress’
girl
danced
The in
dress
wildly
red
the
with
dots
blue

12. Diagram the following sentences:
1. Tony ran in the park by his house.
2. The cat with a brown spot on its tail ran down the street.