Updating the links in my Writing Resources, I visited an old favorite site and experienced the nostalgia of diagramming sentences. The site is Guide to Grammar and Writing, sponsored by Capital Community College. Use this link for its useful, free PowerPoint presentations, including one on diagramming sentences.
As a girl (and a budding writing teacher), I excelled at diagramming sentences, but I have not done it in many years. It was fun to follow the slide presentation, to watch the subject and verb placed on the main branch, the modifiers added as stems. I even enjoyed disagreeing with one of the slides (disagreeing being a special pleasure of those who cherish the fine points of language).
In many business writing seminars, someone admits, “I use to love diagramming sentences. Will we do that?” We never do, in class. But for those of you who want to experience sentence diagramming, here is your chance. It may be plain compared with the latest slide shows, but if you have fond memories of diagramming sentences in chalk on blackboards, the low-tech approach will feel just right.
Credit: Professor Charles Darling created much if not all of the content on the Guide to Grammar and Writing site. He died last year. I never knew Professor Darling, but I am grateful for the generous spirit and love of teaching that fill the pages.
Lynn
