Diagramming Sentences: Visualizing Their Basic Parts

DIAGRAMMING SENTENCES
Visualizing their Basic Parts

Every sentence must contain two parts: a subject and a verb. All the other words in a sentence
merely describe, limit or modify the subject or the verb of the sentence. A technique known as
diagramming is used to visualize the pattern of a sentence. Diagramming involves discovering
and displaying the skeleton of a sentence.
I. THE BASIC PATTERN: Subjects and Verbs
The standard pattern in English is for the subject or noun of the sentence to be listed first,
followed by the verb or action word of the sentence. The basic pattern for diagramming a
sentence involves writing the subject on a horizontal line followed by the verb with a vertical
line separating them.
Thus, sentences such as "Maria cooked" and "Maria is cooking" would be diagrammed as:
As we shall soon see all the other words in a sentence revolve around the two essential parts of
every sentence --the subject and the verb.
II. ADDING TO THE BASIC PATTERN
A. Diagramming Adjectives and Adverbs. The words which modify or describe the subject
and verb of the sentence are diagrammed by placing them on slanted lines beneath the words
which they modify. Thus, adjectives are placed beneath the subject and adverbs are placed
beneath the verb according to the following pattern:
The three sentences below would be diagrammed as on the right with the adjectives being placed
beneath the subject (noun) and the adverbs beneath the verb, which they modify:
The boy ran.
The boy ran fast.
The tall boy ran fast.

Practice Set #l--Diagram the following sentences looking carefully for the subject and verb in
each sentence and any adjectives or adverbs modifying them.
1. Diana sang.
2. Maria ran slowly.
3. Gary spoke softly.
4. The small child fell down.
5. Mark is studying.
6. Juan is very quiet.

B. Diagramming the Direct and Indirect Objects of the Verb. The direct object of a sentence
is the noun, which names whatever receives the action of the verb. The direct object is placed on
the primary horizontal line to the right of the verb and separated from the verb by a vertical line,
which does not descend below the line according to the following pattern.
Thus, a sentence such as "Maria cooked rice" would be diagrammed as:
The subject of the sentence identifies who did something (Maria), the verb identifies what action
was perfofll1ed (cooked), and the direct object identifies what was cooked (rice).
The indirect object names the person or thing to whom or for whom something is done. An
indirect object is diagrammed by placing it on a new horizontal line beneath the verb and
connecting it to the verb by a slanting vertical line in the following fashion:
Thus, a sentence such as "Maria gave Joe the rice" would be diagrammed as:
The subject of the sentence identifies who did something {Maria), the verb identifies what
action was performed (gave), the direct object identifies what was given (rice), and the indirect
object identifies to whom (Joe) the rice was given.
Practice Set #2 --Diagram each of the following sentences looking carefully for the six sentence
parts already discussed.
1. Scott plays soccer.
2. Carlos kicked the can.
3. Sonia walked home.
4. Carla gave David the book.
5. Joe gave Maria the notebook.
6. Rosie dropped the dish.

C. Diagramming Prepositional Phrases. Prepositional phrases are frequently used to modify
the subjects and verbs of sentences. A prepositional phrase must contain (a) a preposition, (b) the
object of the preposition, and (c) any modifiers of the object. To diagram a prepositional phrase,
the preposition is placed on a slanted line beneath the subject or verb which the phrase modifies,
the object of the preposition is placed on a horizontal line below the primary horizontal, and any
modifiers of the object are placed on slanted lines beneath the object of the preposition. The
general pattern is as follows:
Thus, a sentence such as "Helga threw the ball to Boris" would be diagrammed as follows:
Note --You should have noticed that only verbs and nouns (whether as subjects, direct objects,
indirect objects or objects of a preposition) are placed on the horizontal lines. All other words,
whether adjectives. adverbs, or prepositions are placed on slanted vertical lines beneath the noun
or verb which they modify. .
Practice Set #3 --Diagram each of the following sentences.
I. Roberto walked to the store.
2. Alex was thrown from the raft.
3. The large airplane fell to the ground.
4. Cathy hid behind the tree.
5. The boy in the blue shirt jumped over the creek.
6. We invited Heta to our house.
7. Mike went to the soccer game with Frank.

Diagramming Sentences: Visualizing Their Basic Parts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Diagramming Sentences: Visualizing Their Basic Parts

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Diagramming Sentences: Visualizing Their Basic Parts

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

DIAGRAMMING SENTENCES

Visualizing their Basic Parts

I. THE BASIC PATTERN: Subjects and Verbs

The boy ran.

The boy ran fast.

The tall boy ran fast.

2. Maria ran slowly.

3. Gary spoke softly.

4. The small child fell down.

6. Juan is very quiet.

Thus, a sentence such as "Maria cooked rice" would be diagrammed as:

1. Scott plays soccer.

2. Carlos kicked the can.

3. Sonia walked home.

4. Carla gave David the book.

5. Joe gave Maria the notebook.

6. Rosie dropped the dish.

I. Roberto walked to the store.

2. Alex was thrown from the raft.

3. The large airplane fell to the ground.

4. Cathy hid behind the tree.

5. The boy in the blue shirt jumped over the creek.

6. We invited Heta to our house.

7. Mike went to the soccer game with Frank.

You might also like