What is sentence diagramming?

[amo_mea_filiis.]

 

I looked it up and can find many examples and pictures, but can't find the point of it, how to teach it, why teach it, when to teach it, grammar programs that include it, etc.

 

:bigear:

 

 

 

[unsinkable]

Analytical Grammar and Junior Analytical Grammar focus on diagramming.

 

Diagramming can help the student learn parts of speech and how the parts function together.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Diagramming is analyzing a sentence and relating all of its parts to each other. The basic diagram contains the subject and the verb of the sentence and any verb complements, then the offshoots relate the other words in the sentence to the main part of the sentence.

[Mimm]

Do people not normally do diagramming in school? I was homeschooled and did tons of diagramming so I guess I always thought everyone considered it necessary. Is that not the case?

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I didn't in PS. I barely learned parts of speech, parts of a sentence, parts of a story, etc. I'm reteaching myself now to hopefully be ahead of the kids when I introduce it to them.

[kalanamak]

Do people not normally do diagramming in school? I was homeschooled and did tons of diagramming so I guess I always thought everyone considered it necessary. Is that not the case?

 

In the school system I grew up in, the last diagrammer retired in the '60s.

 

GWG introduces it in level 3 and it is an interesting puzzle to work out. I have really enjoyed Rex Barks as a grown up intro.

[Carrie12345]

I vividly remember diagramming in middle school. (Late 80's/early 90's)

 

My girls do it in FLL, and ds learned it in Voyages in English.

[Hunter's Moon]

Do people not normally do diagramming in school? I was homeschooled and did tons of diagramming so I guess I always thought everyone considered it necessary. Is that not the case?

 

I've never diagrammed at that's why I have so much trouble with sentence parts.

[Mrs Mungo]

Analytical Grammar and Junior Analytical Grammar focus on diagramming.

 

Diagramming can help the student learn parts of speech and how the parts function together.

 

I agree.

 

Mary Daly's book is great, if you want something just for diagramming.

[LidiyaDawn]

Do people not normally do diagramming in school? I was homeschooled and did tons of diagramming so I guess I always thought everyone considered it necessary. Is that not the case?

 

I remember doing lots of grammar work - learning all the parts of speech and everything - but we didn't do anything that resulted in these strange looking things! :p

[flobee76]

Do people not normally do diagramming in school? I was homeschooled and did tons of diagramming so I guess I always thought everyone considered it necessary. Is that not the case?

 

I went to PS and remember diagramming sentences in school. Unfortunately, I don't remember all parts of speech, but DH certainly does (he went to private Christian school all his yrs)

[lionfamily1999]

Ds diagrammed in FLL and he diagrams now with Rod and Staff. Dd does diagramming in AG. All of those grammar programs teach diagramming. I never diagrammed a sentence either, until I had to teach it with First Language Lessons. I also had a very rudimentary grasp of parts of speech at the time. Thankfully, it's possible to learn right next to the kids. A good grammar course can teach you both at the same time ;)

 

Dd's writing has gotten much better since I started teaching her grammar. She and I have only been hsing since October, and she came to me (from ps) not knowing even the basic parts of speech (noun? what's a noun?). Diagramming and parsing have taught her how a sentence functions and how the words relate to each other to communicate effectively. Before diagramming and parts of speech, dd was like a builder that doesn't really understand how nails and wood go together. Most of the time she could make a shelter, but it wasn't a very good one. Now, she understands how the pieces fit and she's well beyond a simple lean-to.

[Mimm]

How strange. It never occurred to me that people didn't diagram, at least a little. It was very helpful to me in learning grammar. I don't mean to sound as if my own education didn't have holes in it because it very much does (I'm very weak in history and science). I wonder why this has been dropped from many public schools. It doesn't sound as if it was replaced with something that teaches grammar just as well. Sorry, I'm just confused. :)

[cjthedog64]

My 7th grade LA teacher, back in 1986, made us diagram. But she was a very old school teacher. I remember not having any idea why we were drawing all those lines. Then again, no other teacher taught it. We did cover grammar through grade school, so I knew the basics. It might have made more sense if I'd known why we were doing it. I do plan to teach it to DS, and I'll make sure he understands why we're doing it.

[joannqn]

I did very basic diagramming in school. It was pretty basic subject, predicate, adjectives, adverbs, and maybe a prepositional phrase but nothing as complex as that link.

[Desert Rat]

I diagrammed in 8th grade which would have been mid 80s. But I didn't diagram at all in high school. I've taught ds11 diagramming through FLL and now have a separate book of diagramming sentences I've picked up the local teacher's store.

I think it's important, especially for this kid, to continue to work on parts of speech. He likes diagramming.

[kimnc]

Diagramming is a very good way to visualize the parts of speech in a sentence. Think of it as a grammar tool. Especially useful if you have a visual-spatial learner.

 

I second the recommendation on Mary Daly's book. Great resource.

 

Frank Shaffer publications also has one that may be more readily available, if you don't want to order online.

[Slartibartfast]

We did a lot of diagramming in the PS I attended.

[jentancalann]

I diagrammed in PS in late 80's, early 90's. It's interesting to see that there are some who don't know what it is.

[SonshineLearner]

My daughter, in 7th grade, was one of the ones in her class that knew how to pick out a noun. Seriously, she said she was the only one... perhaps there were others?? (She could have diagrammed a sentence! Yay! I did something right :))

 

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