Sentence Diagramming

A while back I posted a link to a sentence diagramming software that enabled you to do them electronically.  The catch was that you needed to know how to do diagram to use the software.  So I thought that I would share the sentence diagramming rules.

I'll give it to you in the very VERY basic format. 

Rules for diagramming:

• Object of the Subject and the Verb FORM THE MAIN HORIZONTAL LINE.
• Adverbs, Adjectives and other misc. words like articles (definite and indefinite) are attached directly by lines attached to the main line where they occur.
• Lines for additional clauses and phrases are attached below the main line where they occur in the sentence BUT GET THEIR OWN HORIZONTAL LINES.
• Modifications to the dangling lines are attached to them as well.

A useful link with diagrams is here.   It makes more sense than my explanation.  I found the image on that sentence diagramming site.  (And my rather simplistic explanations are admittedly a bit simplistic.)

I am not sure what purpose sentence diagramming has except to frustrate and confuse kids in school.  I have an English degree, and I assure you, that even in the Masters level courses I took when I was dumb enough to study for a teaching degree* I NEVER ever applied knowledge of sentence diagramming to anything.  So I think it's a waste of time, as you have to know parts of speech in order to apply it.  So it's not a teaching tool per se, but a way for a teacher to come across all snobby.  (My apologies to those of you out there who like sentence diagramming.  You will never convince me it's useful.)

*dumb because I'm not suited to it, not because it isn't a noble and useful profession.

Comments

[Sarah Laurenson]

First time I saw this was in high school when we moved from NJ to LA. I had no idea what the heck they were doing. Still don't.

[pacatrue]

I didn't do diagramming in school, but my wife did in Washington State. No idea if diagramming per se is useful, but I have wanted my students to have a bit more knowledge of grammar. I had to start off -- in college -- telling them what a direct object was. I want them to know it because 1) I want to tell them their mistakes in essays by saying things like "the subject and verb must agree", and 2) we look at grammar in different languages, so they need to know what we're talking about.

I think the only reason it would help outside of academia is if it helps some understand the mechanics of writing.

[laughingwolf]

makes no sense to me...

[writtenwyrdd]

I only ever had to do it in high school. It was a mandated part of the curriculum, though. hey! I just had a thought: I'm still in touch with my old English teacher, who was head of the department. I should ask her what the expectation was with the whole diagramming thing.

[writtenwyrdd]

We are on the same page...

[writtenwyrdd]

ditto, LW.

[Bernita]

Think I was taught this in grade school. Its purpose then was not to make neat lines in the proper places but to train us to recognize and identify the various parts of speech, especially the tricky ones. I found it fun.

[writtenwyrdd]

You are likely just superior in understanding, Bernita! I found they muddied the waters for me. But you may have pegged what the purpose of the things were.

[alix]

I love sentence diagramming, and when I showed it to my students, they actually loved it too. I think it does very much help writers learn more about how sentences work. But I suspect that, like foreign languages, this learning works best with young malleable minds. They also loved sentence combining.

[Kathi FItzgerald]

I am an 11th and 12th grade English teacher, and I use sentence diagramming as an aid
to teach both grammar and writing. Almost all of my students, both advanced and regular, enjoy the process. It takes an abstract concept and makes it concrete, and gives the students a sense of power over the language -- something many of them do not come to me feeling. It requires analytic thinking and an almost mathematical approach to sentence-level grammar. It can be used to analyze the structure of essays and literature by graphically representing things like parallel structures and complex sentences. When I tell my students they will be able to analyze and diagram the preamble to the U.S Constitution when we've finished they don't believe me, but they invariably can. That in itself isn't necesarily meaningful, but their sense of accomplishment certainly is. I don't do it to be snobby. That's kind of insulting.

[writtenwyrdd]

My opinion is what I stated. Thanks for visiting my blog, and sharing your experiences...but you don't have to keep reading--or comment!--if you don't like what's said..

[Kathi FItzgerald]

Sorry if opinions contrary to yours are not welcome on your blog. I sort of thought that that's why people put their thoughts out there for everyone to read -- because they are open to other ideas. Teacher bashing seems to be a popular hobby these days. It gets old for those of us working our butts off. I stumbled across your blog by accident. Won't happen again. Have a great day!

[writtenwyrdd]

There's a difference between flaming at someone and having a discussion. I never blasted teachers per se...I said that sentence diagramming was stupid in my opinion and what I thought about the use of it. Glad you have better experience of it.

And, for what it's worth, I respect teachers a great deal. I got a college education that included basically a minor in education.