Diagramming Guide

 

A diagram of a sentence is one way that allows us to see how all the parts of speech work together to form a sentence expressing a complete thought.  Always begin your diagram with the most important words.      

 

Simple Sentences

The simple subject and the simple predicate form the core or kernel of a sentence.  They are written on a horizontal line called a baseline.  A vertical line is placed to cut through the center of the horizontal line.  The simple predicate is placed to the right of the vertical line, and the simple subject is placed to the left of the vertical line. 

 

Find the simple subject and the simple predicate in the following sentence.

 

Fifth grader students learn a great deal at Summit Country Day School.

 

Study this diagram of the simple subject and the simple predicate found in the sentence above.

 


                        Students    learn

 

 

Remember:  only verbs may be used

as the simple predicate of a sentence and only nouns or pronouns

may be used as the simple subjects.

 

Find the simple subject and the simple predicate in this sentence.  Note that the subject is you understood.

               

Guess the answer to the question.

 

 


(you)   guess                  

 

 

 


Study the diagram of this sentence.

 

Compound Elements

 

Compound Subjects

When you combine two or more simple subjects, you form a compound subject.  Use a conjunction, such as and or or, to join the simple subjects.  Each part of a compound subject is written on a horizontal line.  The conjunction connecting the two simple subjects is written on a vertical dotted line that joins the horizontal lines.

 

Find the compound sentence in this sentence.

                Mrs. DelFavero and Mrs. Suntken teach language arts to the fifth graders.

 

Study this diagram of the compound subject.

 

Text Box: and                        Mrs. DelFavero

                                                                   teach

                        Mrs. Suntken

                       

A compound subject can have more than two parts.  Find the compound subject in this sentence.

               

Mrs. Harbolt, Mrs. Yarnell, and Mr. Weisner teach art.

 

Study the diagram of this sentence.  Note that the conjunction and is place on the dotted line that connects the parts of the compound subject.

 

Mrs. Harbolt

Text Box: andText Box: and
 


                        Mrs. Yarnell                          teach

           

                        Mr. Weisner

 

 

 

 


The words or and but can also join the parts of a compound subject.

 

Although interrogative sentences are questions, they are still diagrammed just like a declarative.

 

Does Mr. Gardner or Mrs. Goff teach math?

 

Study the diagram of this sentence.

                        Mr. Gardner 

or                                                                           does teach

                                                                       

                        Mrs. Goff

                       

 

 

Compound Predicates

You can also combine the predicates of a sentence that have the same subject.  When you join two or more simple predicates, you form a compound predicate.  Use a conjunction, such as and or or, to join the simple predicates.

 

Each part of a compound predicate is written on a separate horizontal line.  The words and, or, and but are written on a vertical dotted line that joins the horizontal lines.

 

Find the compound predicate in the following sentence.

                Mr. Lewis watched and listened to our presentations.

 

Study this diagram of the compound predicate.

 

                                                            watched

and            Mr. Lewis     

 


                                                            listened                     

 

 

 

A sentence may have both a compound sentence and a compound predicate.

 

Mr. Lewis and Mr. Tyrell watched, listened, and enjoyed our presentations.

 

Study this diagram.  Note where each and is placed.

 

                                                            watched

        Mr. Lewis

andand                                    listened

        Mr. Tyrell                                 

enjoyed

                                                           

 


Direct Objects

Some sentences express a complete thought with only a subject and an action verb.  A direct object is a noun or a pronoun in the predicate that receives the action of a verb.

           

                        Mrs. Rademacher presented an energy unit.

 

A direct object answers the questions what? Or whom?  A direct object is diagrammed on the base line after the verb. 

Study this diagram of a direct object.

 


                        Mrs. Rademacher   presented        unit

 

A vertical line is placed between the verb and the direct object.  Notice that it does not cut through the base line.

 

A verb can have more than one direct object.  Find the compound object in this sentence.

           

Mrs. Rademacher presented the unit and the labs about weather.

 

Study this diagram of a compound direct object.

 

                                                                              Unit

andMrs. Rademacher   presented

                                                                              labs

 

 


Each verb in a compound predicate can have its own direct object.  Read this sentence.  Find each verb and its direct object.

           

The students studied the weather unit and completed the labs.

 

Study this diagram of compound predicates, each with its own direct object.

                                                            studied            units

and students

                        completed      labs

                       

 

Linking Verbs

 

A linking verb links the subject of a sentence with a noun, pronoun, or adjective in the predicate.   It does not show action, and it is not a helping verb.  It is followed by a word that renames or describes the subject.  If the word linked to the subject is a noun, it is called a predicate noun.  If the word linked to the subject is an adjective, it is called a predicate adjective.  If the word linked to the subject is a pronoun, it is called a predicate pronoun.

 

A linking verb is diagrammed differently from an action verb.  A slanting line, not a vertical one, follows a linking verb.

 

Find the linking verb in this sentence.

 

Miss Gruber is the religion teacher.

 

Now study the following diagram of a linking verb.  Notice that the slanting line points back toward the subject but does not cut through the base line.

 


                        Miss Gruber                is       teacher

 

 

More than one word can follow a linking verb to describe or rename the subject.  Find the two words that describe or rename the subjects of this sentence.

           

Miss Gruber is a religion teacher and a soccer player.

 

Now study this sentence with compound predicate nouns.

 

                                                            teacher

and                        Miss Gruber  is

                                                            player

 

 


Modifiers

Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns.  Adjectives appear in a variety of places but usually they are found in front of the noun or pronoun being described.

 

When two or more adjectives are listed together, you should usually use a comma to separate them, unless one of them tells how many.

 

Adjectives are diagrammed on a slanting line right below the word they describe.

 

Find the adjectives in this sentence.

           

Mrs. Rademacher has long, brown hair.

 

Now study this diagram.

 


            Mrs. Rademacher     has      hair

long
brown
 

 

 


The words a, an, and the are called article adjectives.  They are diagrammed like all other adjectives.

           

The long, brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

 

Study this diagram

 


                        hair                 was pulled

the,brown,long
 

 

 

 


Adverbs

 

You have learned that an adjective describes a noun or a pronoun.  A word that describes a verb is an adverb.  Adverbs tell how, when, or where and action happen.

 

Adverbs are diagrammed in the same way that adjectives are.  An adverb is placed on a slanting line below the word that it describes.  Find the adverb and the verb that it describes.

 

            The child diligently finished his assignment.

 

Study this diagram.

 


                        Child  finished                assignment

the,diligently,his
 

 

 

 

 


An adverb can appear anywhere in a sentence.  It is not always right next to the word it describes.  Find the adverb in this sentence.

 

            Soon the child will finish his homework.

 

Several adverbs can describe the same word.  Find the adverbs and the words they describe.

            Later, the child carefully and patiently corrected her homework.

 

Now study this diagram.  Notice the position of the word and in this diagram.

 


                        Child               corrected             homework

later                                                                     and

the
carefully,patiently
 

 

 

 


Prepositional Phrases

 

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with the noun or pronoun that follows it.   A prepositional phrase is made up of a preposition, the object of the preposition, and all the words between them.  A prepositional phrase can be at the beginning, middle, or at the end of a sentence.

 

A prepositional phrase is diagrammed below the word that it describes.  Prepositional phrases that tell where, when, or how often describe verbs.  A prepositional phrase can also tell what kind, how many, or which one if it is describing a noun.

 

Find the prepositional phrase in this sentence.  What word does it describe?

 

            We complete labs during science.

 

Study this diagram.

 


during                        We      completed      labs

 

                                                                        science

 

 

Find the prepositional phrase in this sentence.  What does it describe?

           

The unit about the weather was completed earlier.

 

Study this diagram.

 


                        unit                      was completed

the,about
 

 


                                    weather

the
 

 

 

 


Compound Sentences

You can combine two complete sentences that have similar or related ideas.  When you combine two complete sentences, you form a compound sentence.

 

Diagram each part of a compound sentence like a separate sentence.  Use a dotted line to connect the separate parts.  Put the connecting word and, or, or but on the horizontal part of the dotted line.

 

Find the two sentences in this compound sentence.

           

Mrs. Goff teaches social studies, but Mrs. Suntken teaches language arts.

 

Study this diagram. Notice the position of the dotted line and the connecting word but.

 


            Mrs. Goff                   teaches                       social studies

 


                                                but

 


            Mrs. Suntken                        teaches                       language arts

 

 


Remember, the line following the action verb is vertical, but the one following a linking verb is slanting.  Find the two verbs in this compound sentence.

 

                Miss Gruber teaches grade five and grade six, but grade five is her favorite.

 

Now study this diagram.

                                                                        grade five

and            Miss Gruber         teaches   

                                                                        grade six       

                                                but

 

 


            grade five                   is                     favorite

her