Let's diagram a sentence together!
(Winston Churchill)

You know that I love diagramming sentences, and today we'll be diagramming a sentence together. Here we go!

I'm using a free account on www.letsdiagram.com to make this diagram.

If you already know how to diagram, go ahead and try diagramming this sentence. If you'd like some assistance along the way, watch the video or check out the steps below. I'll include links to other lessons so that you can easily learn about each part of the sentence. 

A sentence's structure tells us how many independent and dependent clauses it contains. Once we know this, we'll know how to structure our sentence diagram. This is a compound sentence. It contains two independent clauses that are joined with a semicolon. 

Next, we need to identify the subject and verb in both of the clauses. If the verb has a complement (such as a direct object), we'll identify that as well. 

Diagram these parts of the sentence. This information gives us the "bones" of the sentence.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity = independent clause #1

pessimist = subject

sees = verb (transitive active) 

difficulty = direct object (noun)

(x) = This symbol in the sentence diagram shows us that the two independent clauses are not connected with a coordinating conjunction, but with a semicolon.

an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty = independent clause #2

optimist = subject

sees = verb (transitive active) 

opportunity = direct object (noun)

Adjectives tell us more about nouns and pronouns. Adverbs tell us more about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

The first clause has two adjectives and no adverbs. 

We'll diagram the two adjectives under the words that they are modifying.

A = adjective modifying pessimist

the = adjective modifying difficulty

Prepositional phrases begin with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. The first clause has one prepositional phrase (in every opportunity). We'll diagram it under the word that it is modifying.

in every opportunity = prepositional phrase 

The second clause has two adjectives and no adverbs. We'll diagram the adjectives under the words that they are modifying. 

an = adjective modifying optimist 

the = adjective modifying opportunity

The second clause has one prepositional phrase. We'll diagram it under the word that it is modifying.

in every difficulty = prepositional phrase 

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity;
an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

If you'd like to teach or learn grammar the easy way—with sentence diagrams—check out our Get Smart Grammar Program.

It starts from the very beginning and teaches you grammar and sentence diagramming in easy, bite-size lessons.