Thread for all American grammar geeks

[ashling]

or just some American grammar geeks

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. Diagramming sentences...

I wonder if they are still taught that ?

[Iris]

7. No, but I wish they did.

It works great when I show it to my non-native English speaking students.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. Ruh-roh!

Mutley_R_Us is gonna come in here and provide a lengthy analysis of that.

:scared:

[lligrd]

3. Brings Back Memories And The Same Old Question

Why the hell are we doing this? I never did get a good answer and it looks as ridiculous to me now as it did then.

[Iris]

8. Shows how parts of the sentence are realted

helps with punctuation, word choice, grammar, and general thinking skills later on.

Admittedly, it is probably more helpful to some students than others, depending on learning styles.

[ashling]

4. Ahem, did anybody notice what was being diagrammed?

:patriot: :patriot::patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot::patriot: :patriot:
:patriot: :patriot::patriot: :patriot:

[grannylib]

5. Love the sentence being diagrammed; HATE diagramming

them! POINTLESS. HATE it.

[ashling]

9. Not pointless at all

not only is it a good way to learn grammar, but it is a good excercise in critical thinking

[grannylib]

10. *lol* Sorry, you're going to have to twist my arm to REALLY convince me.

I'm sure you're right...I just hate diagramming sentences.

[ashling]

12. Lucky for you I am not an armtwister by nature LOL

Besides, I am sure that Minnesota is too damn cold to diagram sentences.
:rofl:

[DarkTirade]

6. Man, I haven't seen one of those in a while.

Nor have I seen one that convoluted. :)

[Midlodemocrat]

11. 'more perfect' is incorrect grammar.

Things are either perfect, or they're not. Same thing with 'more complete'.

So. There. Take that you consitution, you.

:hide:

[Redstone]

14. And boy, did those guys like their commas!

Redstone

[Bake]

16. Yeah, technically it should be "more nearly perfect union."

But it works.

:patriot:

Bake

[elleng]

22. 'More perfect

than what we've got' makes sense, doesn't it? or 'more better?'

[Jamastiene]

18. Technically, that is true.

Good catch.

[Redstone]

13. Given that I'm a guy who writes for a living, allow me to contribute this:

Diagramming sentences is, and has always been, an unredeemably worthless waste of time.

My God, how I hated doing that in school!

Redstone

[ashling]

19. I beg to differ

the word is irredeemable
:rofl:

[Mike03]

15. I'm saving this to print out.

I love it!

Thanks for the post.

[Jamastiene]

17. Amazing.

Every single year all the way throughout my school days, they had us diagram sentences. I never understood why. It seemed like once I learned how, I'd never forget. Well, amazingly enough, I was able to read that easily. Apparently, I haven't forgotten. Now, if I could just remember where I put my cats' Easter Bunny presents.

[Aristus]

20. I'm such a geek, I ENJOYED diagramming sentences.

:hide:

[ashling]

21. I liked it

I suck at math, but I liked this. This and Latin taught me more english grammar than anything else. As a matter of fact, to the extent that my grammar has gotten lax, it is because I haven't done this in about a million years (I told you, I suck at math.)

[elleng]

23. French taught me english grammar,

that is, I think it was reading French, maybe poetry.

First 'diagram' was in 5th grade, new town, new school, had no idea what it was about. But I agree with those above; I do think its a valuable tool. Should be explained (why?) and what and how.

Thanks for reminder of 5th grade!

[elleng]

24. ANOTHER CHALLENGE,

should you agree to accept it!

Please diagram AND EXPLAIN the following:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

[IntravenousDemilo]

25. I don't think it can be done.

There are two too many commas (first and last), making the sentence an ungrammatical nonsense and a proper diagram impossible.