One of my favorite (of few) English teachers in High School taught us diagramming. It was enlightening, fun and useful. The other favorite taught us about semantics.
I need, however, to avoid having your thesis drive me into the sadness of opportunities missed. I was a lazy high-school English student (1971-75). These skills and techniques were on offer, but I consciously ducked them.
As a 30-year old, I took a job transfer to Munich where I was forced to jump-start my HS German and work exclusively in the language. Oddly, learning German turned me into a fanatic for well-written English. But at 67 now I find myself kind of a savant. I don't have the formal, foundational knowledge, like diagramming. I'm a reasonably good writer, but find it an extremely difficult slog.
Realistically I don't expect that I will learn to diagram. Yet it was very enjoyable to wander through your reflections.
Nick, if you are interested in a breezy and fun read about that presents an overview of how and why to diagram, I recommend "Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog" by Kitty Burns Florey. Thanks for reading!
Hey Michael, what have I got to lose? Perhaps it'll make me even less tolerant of and more irritating to colleagues regarding the shortcomings in their own writing! "Throw the ball to Mary and I," anyone?
I enjoy reading more technically skilled and aware writers like yourself, in addition to enjoying the broader topic. I'm fortunate to have a son-in-law with a Masters in English Lit from Oxford. Keeps me on the straight and narrow.
A.J., thanks for reading. If you are interested in a breezy and fun read about that presents an overview of how and why to diagram, I recommend "Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog" by Kitty Burns Florey. But for, say, a student workbook, the Critical Thinking Company has a series of workbooks that teaches diagramming and has sentences for students to diagram. I'll be sure to follow up with another post about sentence diagramming, recommending some further resources.
Is this still taught in grammar and middle schools? This was part of my public school curriculum in the late ‘60s. I struggled with it initially, but came to like it. I believe it was invaluable for my subsequent love of reading.
This is providential. I woke up at 4:20am thinking about this very subject and how helpful it would be if I went back and implemented this a bit more. I was horrible at this back in school, and it probably shows in my writing. It's like a Harry Potter wand for the English language. I need to learn how to use it once again. Hopefully, there is an app out there to help me get started. I could practice diagramming sentences instead of playing solitaire. 😉
I love sentence diagramming. Always clarifies. And thro the clarity, helps with the content of what people are trying to say. I use it in my writing teaching, if mainly a private pleasure.
One of my favorite (of few) English teachers in High School taught us diagramming. It was enlightening, fun and useful. The other favorite taught us about semantics.
This made me subscribe. Well done.
Great post! I'm actually launching into my first sentence diagramming lesson today. Decided mid-year to shift approaches.
I'm pairing sentence diagramming with sentence combining.
Good decision. Good luck!
Thanks Michael, a fun read and a point well made.
I need, however, to avoid having your thesis drive me into the sadness of opportunities missed. I was a lazy high-school English student (1971-75). These skills and techniques were on offer, but I consciously ducked them.
As a 30-year old, I took a job transfer to Munich where I was forced to jump-start my HS German and work exclusively in the language. Oddly, learning German turned me into a fanatic for well-written English. But at 67 now I find myself kind of a savant. I don't have the formal, foundational knowledge, like diagramming. I'm a reasonably good writer, but find it an extremely difficult slog.
Realistically I don't expect that I will learn to diagram. Yet it was very enjoyable to wander through your reflections.
Nick, if you are interested in a breezy and fun read about that presents an overview of how and why to diagram, I recommend "Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog" by Kitty Burns Florey. Thanks for reading!
Hey Michael, what have I got to lose? Perhaps it'll make me even less tolerant of and more irritating to colleagues regarding the shortcomings in their own writing! "Throw the ball to Mary and I," anyone?
I enjoy reading more technically skilled and aware writers like yourself, in addition to enjoying the broader topic. I'm fortunate to have a son-in-law with a Masters in English Lit from Oxford. Keeps me on the straight and narrow.
This is so great. Do you have any recommendations for textbooks/workbooks/treatises/reference books to use to get proficient in sentence diagramming?
A.J., thanks for reading. If you are interested in a breezy and fun read about that presents an overview of how and why to diagram, I recommend "Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog" by Kitty Burns Florey. But for, say, a student workbook, the Critical Thinking Company has a series of workbooks that teaches diagramming and has sentences for students to diagram. I'll be sure to follow up with another post about sentence diagramming, recommending some further resources.
Diagram "when, in the course of human events..." And be inspired!
Is this still taught in grammar and middle schools? This was part of my public school curriculum in the late ‘60s. I struggled with it initially, but came to like it. I believe it was invaluable for my subsequent love of reading.
Just saw the “diagram”!…Haven’t even read the post yet, Thank you.
And a belated thank you to Mrs. Elder, my 7th & 8th grade English teacher circa 1957.
My sixth grade teacher was a fiend for diagraming sentences. Constant homework.
Now, it is a very profound memory....
This is providential. I woke up at 4:20am thinking about this very subject and how helpful it would be if I went back and implemented this a bit more. I was horrible at this back in school, and it probably shows in my writing. It's like a Harry Potter wand for the English language. I need to learn how to use it once again. Hopefully, there is an app out there to help me get started. I could practice diagramming sentences instead of playing solitaire. 😉
I love sentence diagramming. Always clarifies. And thro the clarity, helps with the content of what people are trying to say. I use it in my writing teaching, if mainly a private pleasure.