1. Diagramming Sentences
Adding basic modifiers…
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2. Modifiers go underneath that which they modify…
Diagramming’s
Prime Directive:
Modifiers go underneath
that which they modify…

3. Adding adjectives…
Seldom do we have sentences that only have a subject and verb
Often, we have modifiers in the sentence as well
Some of these modifiers are adjectives
Since adjectives modify or describe nouns, they go underneath the noun on a diagonal line
May have several adjective describing the same noun
Articles such as ‘a’, ‘the’ and ‘an’ are adjectives S V
ADJ

4. Adding adjectives Diagram the following sentence: The girl ran.
Adj S V
Determine the subject, verb and modifier
First, draw the base line and add the cross line
Place the subject on the left and the verb on the right.
Add the adjective underneath that which is being modified
ran (V)
girl (S)
The (adj)

5. Adding adjectives…
Sometimes you will have more than one adjective modifying the same noun. Each modifier goes on a separate line under the noun being modified
Diagram the following sentence:
The tall girl ran.
Draw your base line and cross line; then place your subject and verb
Add your adjectives under the noun
girl
ran
The
tall

6. Practice diagramming the following sentences
1. My tired dog slept.
2. The loud music played .

7. Adding adverbs to verbs…
Sometimes the modifiers are adverbs
Adverbs modify anything other than nouns—verbs, adjectives and other adverbs
As always, these modifiers go underneath that which they modify– so if an adverb modifies a verb, put it underneath the verb
Diagram the following sentence: Susan ran quickly
S V ADV
Determine the subject, verb, and modifier
Draw your baseline and cross line; place your subject and verb
Put the adverb underneath the verb telling how she ran
Susan (S)
ran (V)
quickly (adv)

8. Practice diagramming the following sentences
Sharon lives here.
Tom was eating hungrily.

9. Adding adverbs to adjectives…
If the adverb modifies an adjective, it must go underneath the adjective
Diagram the following: The very tall boy jumped.
The subject is ‘boy’ and the verb is ‘jumped’
‘The’ and ‘tall’ describe the boy (subject)
‘Very’ is an adverb that modifies ‘tall’ (an adjective) so it must be diagrammed under ‘tall’ in the following manner
boy (S)
jumped (V)
tall (adj)
The (adj)
very (adv)

10. Practice diagramming the following sentences
The terribly ill boy cried.
The tremendously loud music pumped.

11. Adding adverbs to adverbs…
The same rule applies if your adverb describes another adverb—it must go under the adverb
Diagram the following sentence:
Tom runs very quickly
The subject is ‘Tom’ and the verb is ‘runs’
‘quickly’ is an adverb describing how he runs, so it will go under the verb
‘very’ modifies ‘quickly’, so it will go under quickly in the following manner:
Tom (S)
runs (V)
quickly (adv)
very (adv)

12. Practice diagramming the following sentences
The bus moved extremely slowly.
The tired puppy slept very deeply.
Tom and Janice danced really well.