Grammar Basics Just as a building is made up of concrete, lumber, steel beams, and bricks put together in a certain way, languages are made up of different parts of speech combined into sentences. To be a real expert of buildings, you should be able to produce a construction diagram. To be a real expert in composing sentences, it helps if you can produce a diagram of the sentences.

Section II Parts of the Sentence The Framework of Sentence Construction

There are 5 main parts to a sentence: Subject Verb Direct object Subjective complement Indirect object

To diagram (parse) a sentence, look first for the verb. Without a verb, there cannot be a sentence. A sentence presents a complete idea. In these sentences the idea is complete. You know what to do from understanding the words used. Hurry! Stop! Relax. In the following examples, the idea is not complete. You don't understand exactly what the word wants you to do. Hey! You! So?

Next look for the subject of the sentence, which tells who or what is doing the action or explains the “being” of the verb. For example: Incoming freshmen learn the Aggie traditions at Fish Camp. Freshmen does the action of “learning.” A wildcat is one of the many traditions that they learn. “Is” explains the being of wildcat.

Look at the verb. If it is a being verb, (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) it may be followed by a subjective complement, a noun or an adjective that follows a being verb and renames or modifies the subject. Aggies are farmers. Aggie fans are loyal.

If the verb shows action, it may be followed by a direct object, which “receives” the action of the verb. For Example: The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band plays the Aggie War Hymn after the third quarter of every football game. Aggie War Hymn “receives” the action of the verb “play.”

Indirect objects “receive” direct objects. Aggies show war veterans respect when they remove their hats upon entering the MSC. “War veterans” receive “respect” which is the direct object of the sentence (receives the action of “show”).

There are 2 other parts of sentences. Appositives are nouns that rename other nouns, either directly before them or directly after them. Reveille, the mascot, attends classes at TAMU. A beautiful collie dog, Reveille is an important member of A&M tradition. Objects receive the action of infinitives, participles, and gerunds or show the relationship of prepositions. To win a ball game, Aggie athletes give their best. (“To win” is an infinitive.) Running the game ball from College Station to Austin before the annual game with the University of Texas, Squadron 17 maintains a tradition. (“Running” is a participle.) Playing ball is a favorite activity of many Aggies. (“Playing” is a gerund.)

Here are some web sites that explain the diagramming of sentences. 2.stmhttp://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams2/diagrams 2.stm mlhttp:// ml

Sentences are made up of clauses. A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand alone and form a complete sentence.

Dependent clauses cannot stand alone and must be attached to an independent clause to be a complete sentence. They are used as parts of speech and parts of sentences.

Noun clauses can be used in the same way that nouns are used. They are introduced by a relative pronoun (who, whose, whom, which, or that) or an adverb (where, how, when, etc). Where the Aggies will play in a bowl game is the question every November. (Subject) The question every November is where the Aggies will play in a bowl game. (Subjective Complement) Every Aggie knows that Muster is held April 21. (Direct Object) In what was once called the “holler house,” the Aggie volleyball team wins many matches. (Object of a preposition) To say that Texas A&M University is a major university is obvious. (Object of an infinitive)

Adjective clauses can be used in the same way that adjectives are used. They will answer “which one,” “what kind of,” or “how many” about a noun. They are introduced by a relative pronoun—who, whose, whom, which, or that. R. C. Slocum, who is the “winningest” football coach in Texas A&M University’s history, attended McNeese State in Louisiana. The cadet that cares for Reveille is a member of E2 in the Corps of Cadets.

Adverb clauses can be used in the same way that adverbs are used. They will answer “how,” “when,” “where,” “why,” or “how much” about a verb, adjective, or adverb. They are introduced by a subordinating conjunction—after, although, as, as if, as ____ as, because, before, if, in order that, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever, or while. If you are a student at Texas A&M University, you know what the 12th Man is. Students stand when the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band marches at halftime of the football games.

Sentences When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car. If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: “Take two aspirins” and “Keep away from children.”