I never understood diagraming sentences. (Probably because I didn’t see the point.) I’d just draw a straight line, with little lines going up and down and put the words anyplace. Maybe that’s why she asked specifically to have it done “correctly”.
No one diagrams sentences anymore in public school, a good reason for the terrible grammar of today. Just ask any high school student what an adjective or adverb is and they will give you a blank look. I get a lot of job applications that either have terrible grammar or have been written like a text message, those go in the trash.
Not in English English either. We can thank some clever Hollywood script writers for setting us straight about infinitives, by deciding to boldly go where no grammarian has gone before.
2Night-Gaunt49The infinitive form in Latin is a single word, so the Romans wouldn’t know what a split infinitive was. In modern English, splitting an infinitive isn’t considered grammatically incorrect, just not suitable for serious writing. One of the reasons for learning to diagram sentences is that it helps you spot mistakes. If you were to diagram “to correctly diagram,” you would, hopefully, discover you had split the infinitive. The reason not to split it is that it is part of the verb. It’s like chopping a verb in two and inserting an adverb. In this case, it just sounds awkward.
For everyone complaining about splitting the infinitive. English is a language that is constantly evolving. New words come into existence and old word become passe. New meanings are attached to existing words and the old meanings are forgotten. Even colloquialism become standard. For example: I was taught that the past tense of TO LIGHT is LIT, but now LIGHTED is acceptable and correct. But as far as Latin is concerned may I offer the following.
Latin is a dead languageAs dead as it can beIt killed off all the RomansAnd now it’s killing me.
Mmm … trouble, this could present Good luck, I wish Yoda.
As for diagramming sentences, I took an extensive grad school grammar class, where we spent most of our time diagramming. I can’t say the process was fun, but I had an awesome instructor and learned a lot. The knowledge has been helpful over the years, too.
bluskies over 10 years ago
It should a piece of cake to him be.
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 10 years ago
Order different is, speech, parts of, the same are….
Yoda no trouble, have, should….unless trouble anyway would have, adverb from adjective to tell.
jreckard over 10 years ago
If you think Yoda’s old, you should see his grammar.
osceola over 10 years ago
To diagram the sentence correctly, you first have not to split the infinitive. It should be, Who wants to diagram this sentence correctly?
Dani Rice over 10 years ago
I never understood diagraming sentences. (Probably because I didn’t see the point.) I’d just draw a straight line, with little lines going up and down and put the words anyplace. Maybe that’s why she asked specifically to have it done “correctly”.
J Short over 10 years ago
Yoda, show her two fingers and tell her you feel the force.
LilyGilder over 10 years ago
This is the class that the word salad master ex-governor missed in her youth.
suicidebynoises over 10 years ago
Lifesaver he needs.
fins59 over 10 years ago
No one diagrams sentences anymore in public school, a good reason for the terrible grammar of today. Just ask any high school student what an adjective or adverb is and they will give you a blank look. I get a lot of job applications that either have terrible grammar or have been written like a text message, those go in the trash.
J Quest over 10 years ago
“Named must your fear be before banish it you can.”
JP Steve Premium Member over 10 years ago
It was by the time I’d finished!
Ink blot Premium Member over 10 years ago
Not in English English either. We can thank some clever Hollywood script writers for setting us straight about infinitives, by deciding to boldly go where no grammarian has gone before.
osceola over 10 years ago
2Night-Gaunt49The infinitive form in Latin is a single word, so the Romans wouldn’t know what a split infinitive was. In modern English, splitting an infinitive isn’t considered grammatically incorrect, just not suitable for serious writing. One of the reasons for learning to diagram sentences is that it helps you spot mistakes. If you were to diagram “to correctly diagram,” you would, hopefully, discover you had split the infinitive. The reason not to split it is that it is part of the verb. It’s like chopping a verb in two and inserting an adverb. In this case, it just sounds awkward.
finnygirl Premium Member over 10 years ago
@Al S That was great! Thank you!
DavidHurley Premium Member over 10 years ago
Young yoda, was he.
nosirrom over 10 years ago
For everyone complaining about splitting the infinitive. English is a language that is constantly evolving. New words come into existence and old word become passe. New meanings are attached to existing words and the old meanings are forgotten. Even colloquialism become standard. For example: I was taught that the past tense of TO LIGHT is LIT, but now LIGHTED is acceptable and correct. But as far as Latin is concerned may I offer the following.
Latin is a dead languageAs dead as it can beIt killed off all the RomansAnd now it’s killing me.
rgcviper over 10 years ago
Mmm … trouble, this could present Good luck, I wish Yoda.
As for diagramming sentences, I took an extensive grad school grammar class, where we spent most of our time diagramming. I can’t say the process was fun, but I had an awesome instructor and learned a lot. The knowledge has been helpful over the years, too.
Romeo2Delta2 about 5 years ago
Perfect is Yoda’s grammar if from Germany you are.