Diagramming Sentences

Sentence Diagrams

by Eugene R. Moutoux

~ One Way of Learning English Grammar ~

Sentences from the United States Constitution

The Opening Sentence of the Declaration of Independence

Click on "Preamble," "Amendment 1," etc. to view the diagrams.

Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment 2: 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.

Amendment 3: No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment 4: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the places to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment 5: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment 6: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Amendment 7: In suits of common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment 8: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment 9: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment 10: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Amendment 13: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Amendment 15: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Amendment 16: The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

Amendment 18 Section 1: After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes in hereby prohibited.

Amendment 19 Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Opening Sentence of the Declaration of Independence: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Please send comments and questions to

[email protected]

*** A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming ***

A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming is now in its second edition. Its 114 pages contain the definitions of 97 grammatical terms, a page of diagramming symbols, 105 diagramming examples ranging in difficulty from very easy to very difficult, 30 exercises containing 274 sentences to be diagrammed, a separate answer section with a diagram and a verbal analysis of each sentence, and a concluding section of 30 sentences of medium length (with solutions), intended as a review of most of the diagramming concepts presented in the book.

Teachers purchasing a copy of this book may photocopy all or some of its pages for free distribution to their students. 

The price of the second edition is $14 (including book-rate shipment within the United States), slightly less per book if multiple copies are ordered. If you want to buy one or more copies of this book, please email me at [email protected]. I will  send you my address and you can then mail me a check or money order (no cash or credit card numbers, please). Don't forget to include the address to which you want the book or books sent. Please allow 10-14 days for delivery. 

At long last, you may purchase student copies of A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming. The student copy contains all the material of the regular edition with the exception of the answers (diagramming solutions and explanations) to the exercises. Additional space has been provided so that students who write small and work carefully will be able to construct most of their diagrams in their books. The price of a student copy is $12.50 ($11.50 when more than one book is ordered).

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For Young Learners

*** A First Book of Sentence Diagramming ***

A First Book of Sentence Diagramming is a diagramming workbook for elementary and middle-school students. The student edition of this book contains, in addition to definitions and explanations, some 115 model diagrams and 250 sentences for students to diagram. These model diagrams and sentences are entirely new; they are not taken from A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming or from my web site. Space is provided in the book for the student's diagrams. 

A separate teacher's edition of A First Book of Sentence Diagramming contains all of the pages of the student edition as well as solutions (diagrams of the 250 sentences), eight unit tests, and test solutions. 

The student edition has 86 pages and costs $12.50 (less for multiple copies). The teacher's edition has 120 pages and costs $15 (less for multiple copies). These prices include book-rate postage within the United States.

Teachers, you may photocopy, for free distribution to your students, the material on pages 87-120 of the teacher's edition: unit tests and solutions for all exercises and tests; furthermore, if neither your schools nor your students can or will purchase student copies, you may photocopy pages 1-86 as well for free distribution to your students. All other rights are reserved by the author. 

If you would like to view the table of contents of A First Book of Sentence Diagramming, please click here. To view the unit divider page for Unit I, click here. Each of the eight units is introduced by a similar page. To view the first page of Lesson 22, click here. 

If you want to buy one or more copies of this book, please email me at [email protected]. I will  send you my address and you can then mail me a check or money order (no cash or credit card numbers, please). Don't forget to include the address to which you want the book or books sent. Please allow 10-14 days for delivery. 

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*** A Second Book of Sentence Diagramming ***

A Second Book of Sentence Diagramming is intended for middle-school and high-school students. This book begins where A First Book of Sentence Diagramming ends and has the same basic structure. The student edition of this book contains, in addition to definitions and explanations, some 82 model diagrams and 201 sentences for students to diagram. These model diagrams and sentences are entirely new; they are not taken from A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming or from my web site. Space is provided in the book for the student's diagrams. 

A separate teacher's edition of A Second Book of Sentence Diagramming contains all of the pages of the student edition as well as solutions (diagrams of the 201 sentences), eight unit tests, and test solutions. 

The student edition has 86 pages and costs $12.50 (less for multiple copies). The teacher's edition has 133 pages and costs $16 (less for multiple copies). These prices include book-rate postage within the United States.

Teachers, you may photocopy, for free distribution to your students, the material on pages 87-133 of the teacher's edition: unit tests and solutions for all exercises and tests; furthermore, if neither your schools nor your students can or will purchase student copies, you may photocopy pages 1-86 as well for free distribution to your students. All other rights are reserved by the author. 

If you would like to view the table of contents of A Second Book of Sentence Diagramming, please click here. To view the unit divider page for Unit I, click here. Each of the eight units is introduced by a similar page. To view the first page of Lesson 22, click here. 

If you want to buy one or more copies of this book, please email me at [email protected]. I will  send you my address and you can then mail me a check or money order (no cash or credit card numbers, please). Don't forget to include the address to which you want the book or books sent. Please allow 10-14 days for delivery. 

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Now in its second edition!

***Diagramming Step by Step***

~ One Hundred and Fifty-five Steps to Diagramming Excellence ~

Diagramming Step by Step: One Hundred and Fifty-five Steps to Diagramming Excellence, my fourth book of sentence diagramming, is similar to the second edition of A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming; however, there are several important differences:

1 - The examples and exercises of Diagramming Step by Step are completely new.

2 - The teacher's edition of Diagramming Step by Step has 158 pages, 44 more than A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming. Student copies are also available. They do not have answers in the back; in every other respect, they are the same as the teacher's edition. 

3 - Diagramming Step by Step has 40 more diagramming examples than A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming.

4 - Diagramming Step by Step has 83 more sentences for students to diagram; moreover, ten of these sentences have more than 100 words each. A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming has no sentences of this length. Click here to see one of these 100-word sentences. 

5 - The instructional section of the book is divided into 24 lessons, each with a page of grammar explanation, a page of model diagrams, and a page of sentences to be diagrammed by the student. Click here to see an entire lesson (three pages). I regret the poor quality of some images.

6 - In a section entitled "People in the Park," a storyteller (that's me) tells stories about the lives of people in the park, and the student is expected to diagram the sentences of these stories. Grammar hints are provided for those who need them. Click here to see one of the stories.

Click here to see the table of contents.

Like the second edition of A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming, the teacher's edition of Diagramming Step by Step has, in the back, "answers" (diagrams and explanations) for every sentence in every exercise, including "People in the Park" and "100-word Sentences."

Should you buy this book if you already have A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming? Not necessarily, but if you are looking for additional diagramming challenges for yourself or your students, you will find plenty in this book. 

Should you buy this book instead of A Workbook of Sentence Diagramming? Again, not necessarily. This book may have more material than you need. 

Diagramming Step by Step is also available in an enlarged edition. It features 24 additional pages, each entitled "Writing Correctly." These pages offer students writing tips related to the topics of the corresponding 24 lessons. Click here to view two of these pages.

I have dedicated this book to my recently deceased wife of 41 years, Joni. For that reason, I have tried to make it my best diagramming book. If I ever seek a publisher for one of my books, this will be the one. Click here to view pictures of Joni and to read about her life and death.

Teachers purchasing a copy of this book may photocopy all or some of its pages for free distribution to their students. 

The price of the teacher's edition of Diagramming Step by Step is $18. A student copy sells for $12.50. The enlarged edition (the teacher's edition with 24 pages of writing tips--182 pages in all) sells for $20. The prices, which include handling and media-mail shipment within the United States, are slightly less per book if multiple copies are ordered. If you want to buy one or more copies of this book, please email me at [email protected]. I will  send you my address and you can then mail me a check or money order (no cash or credit card numbers, please). Don't forget to include the address to which you want the book or books sent. Please allow 10-14 days for delivery. 

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New in 2009!

*** Analyzing the Grammar of Literature *** 

Diagrams of 130 Long Sentences from British and American Writers

This, my fifth book of sentence diagramming, is unlike any of the other four and, to the best of my knowledge, unlike any other book available. It is not for beginners. It offers 130 sentences gleaned from the works of 57 British and American writers. The shortest sentence in the collection has 70 words, the longest 472. The median length (the length of the sentence right in the middle) is 100 words; to be precise, Sentence 65 has 99 words, Sentence 66 has 100. 

Diagrams of all 130 sentences are contained in in the "back" of the book, i.e., in the final five-sixths of the book. Each diagram occupies at least one page of the book; the longest covers four pages.

Degree of syntactic difficulty played no role in the selection of sentences. Sentence length and author’s literary reputation were the major criteria. 

The authors represented in this book are Henry Adams, Matthew Arnold, Jane Austin, James Boswell, Charlotte Brontë, Samuel Butler, George Washington Cable, Lewis Carroll, Samuel Coleridge, Joseph Conrad,  James Fennimore Cooper, Daniel Defoe, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, George Eliot, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Faulkner, Henry Fielding, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin Franklin, Oliver Goldsmith, Graham Greene, Thomas Hardy, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, O. Henry, Washington Irving, William James, Thomas Jefferson, Sarah Orne Jewett, Samuel Johnson, James Joyce, Abraham Lincoln, Herman Melville, James Michener, John Stuart Mill, Cardinal Newman, Edgar Allan Poe, Budd Schulberg, John O'Hara, Sir Walter Scott, Adam Smith, Gertrude Stein, Lawrence Sterne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, William Thackeray, Henry David Thoreau, Anthony Trollope, Mark Twain, Robert Penn Warren, Eudora Welty, Edith Wharton, Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, Thomas Wolfe, Virginia Wolfe, and William Wordsworth.  

Teachers purchasing a copy of this book may photocopy all or some of its pages for free distribution to their students. 

Analyzing the Grammar of Literature has 185 8 1/2" x 11" pages; it has a soft cover protected by a plastic overlay. The price of the book is $22, which includes handling and media-mail shipment within the United States. Multiple copies cost slightly less. If you want to buy one or more copies of this book, please email me at [email protected]. I will  send you my address and you can then mail me a check or money order (no cash or credit card numbers, please). Don't forget to include the address to which you want the book or books sent. Please allow 10-14 days for delivery. 

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If you would like information about my book 2016 Latin Derivatives for Latin Students, please click here.

                                                                                                      June 15, 2009