Diagramming Begins!

Diagramming Begins! • What is diagramming? • Sentence analysis • Shows relationship of each word to the rest of the sentence • Think of frog dissection

First… • We already know: • Every sentence MUST have a subject and verb • Subject=noun • Verb=words of doing or being • Start by asking: WHO or WHAT is DOING or BEING something? • Now, draw a horizontal line and divide it with a vertical one:

Next… • Place the subject (noun) and all the things that go with it on the left side • Place the predicate (main verb) and all things that go with it on the right side Subject Predicate

See how this basic sentence is diagrammed: Rex barks. Rex Barks SubjectPredicate Who or what?Does or is what?

Now You Try: Rex whined. Subject Predicate Who or what?Does or is what?

Good. Now Try again: Rex was panting. (Hint: be sure to include all parts of the verb.) Subject Predicate Who or what?Does or is what?

Diagram these sentences. Remember, subject on the left, predicate on the right. • Rex might have been scratching. • Rex did bark. Subject Predicate Who or what?Does or is what?

Diagram these sentences. Remember, subject on the left, predicate on the right. • Rex should have howled. • Rex could have been growling. Subject Predicate Does or is what?

Diagram these sentences. Remember, subject on the left, predicate on the right. • Rex must have run. • Rex had slept.

Diagram these sentences. • Rex may be eating. • Rex will have been digging.

What Have We Learned So Far? SOMEBODY DOES or IS Or SOMETHING SOMETHING

Now, what if we want to make our sentences pretty? birdssing What if we want to know: Which ones? Where? What kinds? When? Whose? Why? How many? How?

Since ADJECTIVES Answer the ADJECTIVE QUESTIONS about NOUNS, they are diagrammed on slanting lines under the noun they modify: birds sing How many birds? Three = ADJ three

Now notice this sentence: Those three blue birds sing. Same subject and verb, birds sing But the noun is modified by three words that answer three different ADJECTIVE QUESTIONS. blue three Those

How about this? The birds sing sorrowfully.

Good: Sorrowfully answers the ADVERB QUESTION: HOW? birdssing So, words that answer ADVERB QUESTIONS are placed on a slanted line under the VERB the sorrowfully

Notice that, While an adjective usually goes in front of its noun, an adverb can hop about in the sentence: • Sorrowfully the birds sing. • The birds sorrowfully sing. • The birds sing sorrowfully. All three sentences are diagrammed in exactly the same way.

Diagram these sentences. Put adjectives under nouns, adverbs under verbs. Write what question each modifier answers. • Poor Rex whined pitifully. • That tired Rex was panting furiously. • Yesterday Rex might have been scratching. • Rex did really bark. • Why did Rex really bark? • Why should that naughty Rex have howled so dismally?

Ah-ha! A few tricks: • #5, the question—turn it into a declarative sentence…it will be diagrammed the same as #4. • #6— “why” doesn’t answer an adverb question; it is an adverb question. Diagram it just as you would an adverb. • #6—Where did you put “so”? That was really sneaky! It answers the ADVERB QUESTION: HOW. But is does not modify the verb “howled.” (How did he howl? So? No.) No, it answers the question “how” about “dismally.” (How dismally? So dismally.) Remember that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.)

So… Rex should have howled that dismally naughty so why

Review and Practice: What have we learned so far? • In a sentence, somebody or somethingdoes or is something. • An adjective answers the questions • Which one • What kind • Whose • How many • An adverb answers the questions • Where • When • Why • How

Diagram these sentences. Be sure to find all helping verbs, and be careful that each modifier is attached to the word it modifies. • Harry has been listening carefully. • Harry has not been listening carefully. (Hint: “not” answers how Harry listens.)

Diagram these sentences. Be sure to find all helping verbs, and be careful that each modifier is attached to the word it modifies. • Lucy’s blue sweater was thrown downstairs. • That sweet old lady might have been sleeping there.

Diagram these sentences. Be sure to find all helping verbs, and be careful that each modifier is attached to the word it modifies. • Suddenly the booming thunder echoed hollowly. • The big bad wolf huffed importantly.

Diagram these sentences. Be sure to find all helping verbs, and be careful that each modifier is attached to the word it modifies. • That child might be crying now. • How they must have been laughing!

Diagram these sentences. Be sure to find all helping verbs, and be careful that each modifier is attached to the word it modifies. • Away flew the silly geese. (Careful! What IS the verb? What or who DID the verb?) • My sister may play here. ** More practice for homework!

And Now: Diagramming Prepositional Phrases Review: what is a prepositional phrase? What part(s) of speech are associated with a prepositional phrase? Identify the prepositional phrase(s) in this sentence:

Diagramming Begins!