Diagramming Sentences
Is a game with
The Big Bad Grammar Slammer

Free Clue Cards for Digramming Sentences below

Is diagramming sentences a legal form of torture?

Diagramming demonstrates how the parts of speech in a given sentence are related to each other. Students who have learned to diagram sentences have a stronger ability to manipulate the parts of speech in order to develop complex and compound sentences.

Okay, so in the real world what does that mean? Perhaps you and your student are trying to write a complex sentence to express a complex thought. For example, how about the sentences below:

Because compound sentences and complex sentences have similarities and differences, those who wish to use them need to have a structure to work with them. This structure needs to be visual; in fact, it needs to be a diagram.

Because the first sentence is a complex sentence, it required a comma. The second sentence is a compound sentence; it needed a semi-colon. (Did you notice I used the types of sentences and punctuation I was describing.)

In short, seeing a visual of sentence types, helps the developing writer grasp the structure and mold his or her words and punctuation marks accordingly.

Not convinced? See the examples in the Grammar Slammer Clue Cards. The visual diagram helps the student "see" what the different sentence parts are. See the Grammar Slammer Clue Cards for yourself.

Unfortunately, some grammarical programs go too far and expect students to memorize complicated diagramming rules. Or they give students the tedious chore of diagramming a set of sentences. (Hmm, can you think of anything you would rather do than that?)

In contrast, this tutorial presents the different diagrams, and shows students how to use it by developing their own sentences.

How does it help the learner? He or she has a larger set of tools to develop a broader range of sentence types. This adds variety and sophisticiation to their writing.

Best of all, they soon start writing and punctuating more complex sentences without even realizing they are doing it.

Return from diagramming sentences to the grammar main page.