| The structure of a sentence is very important to | | | | should. You are then going to draw a slanted line |
| communication because words in different sequences | | | | connecting to the horizontal line the sentence is written |
| can mean different things, although the words are the | | | | on to the left of the word people, but it will slanting |
| same. That is why it is important to place each part of | | | | downward like a sliding board. |
| the sentence in the correct place so that what you | | | | This is where you're going to write the word some |
| are trying to say is not perceived to be something else. | | | | because it is an adjective. Since it modifies the word |
| If you have ever received instructions from someone | | | | people, it is considered a modifier and modifiers go on |
| and followed them just as they said them and then | | | | the slanted line. |
| they come back to you later and tell you that you did | | | | Another example |
| not follow their directions, this can be quite confusing. | | | | To get a little more complicated, the sentence "The |
| And no matter what you tell that person, they are not | | | | smartest people will be laughing," is a good one to |
| going to believe that they were not clear because | | | | diagram. Of course you know the subject and the |
| they knew what it was they were trying to tell you. It is | | | | noun in the sentence is the word people, the adjective |
| important to look out for this, but it is also important | | | | is the word smartest, and the verb is laughing. |
| that you know how to send your own messages, | | | | However, this sentence is in the future tense because |
| whether it is in writing or speaking. | | | | the people are not currently laughing, but they will be |
| The sentence | | | | laughing. |
| There are several parts to a sentence such as the | | | | So you're going to draw your horizontal line and write |
| subject, the verb, and what we call modifiers. Let's just | | | | "people will be laughing" just like you did in the first |
| say you're given the simple sentence, "People should | | | | example. You will draw your vertical line between the |
| laugh." The word should is called a modal auxiliary verb. | | | | words people and will. The word the is called a definite |
| This means that you are going to draw a straight line | | | | article and it will be written on a slanted line to the left |
| and write the sentence on the line. You are then going | | | | of the word people. The word smartest id an |
| to draw a vertical line between people and should. | | | | adjective and it is also written on a slanted line, but it is |
| Since should is a modal auxiliary verb, it is categorized | | | | done so at the right of the word people. |
| with the verb "laugh." What this diagram does is | | | | These two examples are the basics of diagramming a |
| separate the subject from the verb. | | | | sentence. Of course sentences get more complicated |
| Now let us expand the sentence to "Some people | | | | and require more slants and lines. A good example is a |
| should laugh." This can make it a little trickier because | | | | predicate nominative, which is a noun that follows a |
| you have an additional word at the beginning that is not | | | | linking verb such as the word is. This means a slant to |
| the subject, but you still have your subject and your | | | | the left at the top of the horizontal line will be present |
| verb present. So what you are going to do is keep | | | | between the word is and the noun. These are great |
| your vertical line with the sentence written on the line | | | | things to know and will help you communicate |
| and the line drawn between the words people and | | | | effectively. |