Sentence Diagramming

The purpose of diagramming sentences is

• to better understand parts of speech.
• to learn a strategy to avoid fragments.
• to have a greater understanding of the structure of sentence.
• all of the above.

My teacher is smart.
What is the complete subject?

• teacher
• My teacher
• is
• is smart.

What is the first step to diagramming a sentence?

• start by finding the subject of the sentence

• start by finding the verb in the sentence

• start by drawing a horizontal line

• start by finding the interjection

What is the 2nd step for diagramming a sentence?

• Find the verb, and write it on the right half of the horizontal line

• draw a horizontal line

• Find the subject, and write it on the right half of the horizontal line

• Find the conjunction and write on the left half of the horizontal line

What is the 3rd step for diagramming a sentence?

• Find the verb, and write it on the right half of the horizontal line

• draw a horizontal line

• Find the subject, and write it on the left half of the horizontal line

• Find the conjunction and write on the left half of the horizontal line

After finding the verb and the subject, what is the next step?

• draw a diagonal line that intersects through the horizontal line, separating the subject and verb

• draw a vertical line that intersects through the horizontal line, separating the subject and direct object

• stare at the ceiling wondering what is the meaning of life

• draw a vertical line that intersects through the horizontal line, separating the subject and verb

Where do you place adjectives on a diagram?

• on a horizontal line above the noun

• on a horizontal line above the verb

• on a diagonal line below the noun it is modifying

• on a diagonal line below the verb it is modifying

Where do you place adverbs on a diagram?

• on a horizontal line above the noun

• on a horizontal line above the verb

• on a diagonal line below the noun it is modifying

• on a diagonal line below the verb it is modifying

Where do you place a direct object on a diagram?

• on the horizontal line after the subject

• on the horizontal line after the verb

• on a diagonal line underneath the verb

• on a diagonal line underneath the subject

Which line do you use to separate the verb and direct object?

• a vertical line that touches the horizontal line but does NOT intersect the horizontal line

• a vertical line that touches the horizontal line but does intersect the horizontal line

• a diagonal line that touches the horizontal line but does NOT intersect the horizontal line

• a vertical line that touches the horizontal line but does intersect the horizontal line