Sentence Diagrams

by Eugene R. Moutoux

~ One Way of Learning English Grammar ~

Sentences by Contemporary Journalists

As a teacher of foreign languages, I am disturbed by the inability of many, if not most, of my first-year students to deal effectively with even the most basic elements of grammar. Whereas in a bygone era students learned the parts of speech and their respective functions (and demonstrated this knowledge by diagramming sentences), today's students enter high school unsure of the difference between nouns and verbs, and totally befuddled if asked to identify gerunds and participles, direct object objects and predicate nominatives.

Perhaps you are one of these students. If so, welcome to my web site, which I hope will familiarize you with as much grammar as you will need to know. Don't be alarmed by the elaborate diagrams; in mini-lessons following each diagram, you will be introduced to one or two new grammar concepts at a time. You can overlook the rest until you are ready for it.

If you already have a solid foundation in grammar, you will perhaps enjoy creating your own diagrams before looking at mine. Please check the Apologia pro descriptione mea (defense of my diagram) accompanying each diagram. If we disagree and you think you're right, please let me know. I'll be happy to write back.
Sentence 1

The federal government and many of the nation's leading telephone companies yesterday announced an agreement for a reshuffling of phone rates that would reduce the bills of tens of millions of less affluent consumers and lead to less significant cuts for other consumers and businesses.

- Stephen Labaton, The New York Times (published on June 1, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A1)

Sentence 2

Reports about medicines in newspapers and on television commonly contain little or no information about drugs' risks and cost, and often cite medical "experts" without disclosing their financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, according to a new study.

- Susan Okie, The Washington Post (published on June 1, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A3)

Sentence 3

Unhappy bus and truck drivers argued yesterday that proposed limits on the time they can drive will cost the economy millions of dollars and make the roads less safe.

- Associated Press (published on June 1, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A3)

Sentence 4

Gov. George W. Bush, who recently advocated DNA testing to "erase any doubts" from some death penalty cases, said yesterday he would probably delay the looming execution of a convicted killer whose attorneys are fighting for new DNA tests.

- Mark Babineck, Associated Press (published on June 1, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A4)

Sentence 5

There is little evidence yet of the "new approach" that Bobby Knight promised in return for one last chance to behave suitably as men's basketball coach at Indiana University.

- Louisville, KY, The Courier-Journal, June 1, 2000, editorial page

Sentence 6

Peterson's, publisher of a guide to four-year colleges, said yesterday that from now on it will disclose to readers that schools pay for extra information about themselves in the book.

- Arlene Levinson, Associated Press (published on June 2, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A1)

Sentence 7

Using a new kind of stroke rehabilitation therapy, scientists have shown for the first time that the brain can be coaxed into reorganizing its circuitry so that people regain nearly full use of partially paralyzed limbs, even if the stroke happened years ago.

- From New York Times and AP Dispatches (published on June 2, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A8)

Sentence 8

Side air bags--the latest in high-tech auto safety devices--are providing effective protection in actual crashes while largely avoiding inadvertent injuries to passengers, an industry technical group reported yesterday.

- R. Alonzo-Zaldivar, Los Angeles Times (published on June 2, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A5)

Sentence 9

TV networks are a lot like pesky phone solicitors, the people who call you as you are about to dig into a bowl of spaghetti and try to sell you Venetian blinds you don't want or some kind of helmet your gutters don't need.

- Thomas Nord (published on June 2, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page D1)

Sentence 10

After punishing basketball coach Bobby Knight last month for misbehavior--but not firing him--Indiana University is still wrestling with its feelings about whether it did enough over the years to prevent Knight's heated confrontations with players, referees and others.

- The Courier-Journal, June 4, 2000, page A1

Sentence 11

It's hard for many people to balance work and family, but entrepreneurs running a company out of their homes learn quickly that it can be impossible to separate the two.

- Joyce M. Rosenberg, Associated Press (published on June 5, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page C1)

Sentence 12

The advocacy group Human Rights Watch claims the nation's war on drugs unfairly targets African Americans, who are far more likely to be imprisoned for drug offenses than whites even though far more whites use illegal drugs than blacks.

- Michael A. Fletcher, The Washington Post (published on June 8, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A3)

Sentence 13

The group's report, to be released today, said that blacks accounted for 62 percent of the drug offenders sent to state prisons nationwide in 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, although they represent just 12 percent of the U.S. population.

- Michael A. Fletcher, The Washington Post (published on June 8, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A3)

Sentence 14

The new investigation found no credible evidence to support allegations in recent years from former Memphis bar owner Loyd Jowers and former FBI agent Donald Wilson, and earlier from Ray himself, that a mysterious "Raoul" or others, including federal agents, police or black ministers, participated in a plot to kill King.

- Michael J. Sniffen, Associated Press (published on June 10, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A1)

Sentence 15

It is a rare testimonial to the transplant system, which for the last several years has been rocked by bitter charges of unfairness, seen nasty internal fighting explode into embarrassing public view, warred over government attempts to step in and solve the controversy, and suffered under the historic shortage of donor organs.

- Elizabeth Neus, Gannett News Service (published on June 11, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A18)

Sentence 16

President Clinton opened the door yesterday for states to provide unemployment pay to workers who take unpaid time off to care for a newborn child or sick relative, expanding an already popular Family Leave Act.

- Associated Press (published on June 11, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A5)

Sentence 17

In response to such complaints, the Regional Airport Authority has announced it will seek $215 million to cut in half the time needed to move about 1,000 families whose neighborhoods have been identified as most adversely affected by airport noise.

- Butch John (published on June 11, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A1)

Sentence 18

Key segments of the nation's news audience, particularly younger and better-educated Americans, and those seeking financial information, are turning increasingly to the Internet, says a new poll on media trends.

Will Lester, Associated Press (published on June 12, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A3)

Sentence 19

Keeping your lips zipped when things sour is the best piece of blunt marriage advice the couple will offer in their sold-out appearances at the Louisville Public Library tonight and on public radio station WFPL tomorrow morning.

- Tom Dorsey, TV and Radio Critic (published on June 12, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page F1)

Sentence 20

His comments came after Jefferson County Judge-Executive Rebecca Jackson and all three county commissioners sent a hand-delivered letter directing him not to "issue any statements of commitment, or send a memorandum of understanding at this time on behalf of the county" to the Rockets about plans for an arena.

- Sheldon S. Schafer and Chris Poynter (published on June 13, 2000, in Louisville, KY, in The Courier-Journal, page A1)