Diagramming The Parts of Speech

On this page, you'll find out how to diagram each of the parts of speech. Click on the links below to learn more about each one. 

Be sure to check out the Sentence Diagramming Reference Manual, which includes even more awesome information than you'll find on this page.

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Nouns & Pronouns

Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas. Pronouns take the place of nouns.

Nouns and pronouns can perform many jobs in sentences. They can be subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, objects of the preposition, predicate nouns, objective complements, and more!



A predicate noun is a noun that comes after a linking verb and renames the subject.



An objective complement is a noun or an adjective that completes the direct object.

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Verbs

Don't you just love diagramming the parts of speech?

Verbs name actions or states of being.

There are a few different types of verbs, and each type is diagrammed a little differently.

You can learn more about diagramming verbs on this page, but the diagram below will get you started!



Learn more about diagramming transitive active verbs.

Learn more about diagramming transitive passive and intransitive linking verbs.

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Adjectives

Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.

Since these describe nouns or pronouns, the line for them will always come from the noun or pronoun that they are describing.

Determiners are a type of adjective, so they are diagrammed just like other adjectives.

Learn more about diagramming adjectives.



Adjectives can be predicate adjectives. Predicate adjectives come after linking verbs. They describe the subject.

Adjectives (and nouns) can also be objective complements. These come after direct objects. They describe the direct object.

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Adverbs

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Since these describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, the line for them will always come from the verb, adjective, or adverb that they are describing.

Learn more about diagramming adverbs.

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Prepositions

Prepositions are always found in prepositional phrases (a preposition + an object of the preposition).

The whole phrase acts as either an adjective or an adverb. The preposition itself is diagrammed on a diagonal line coming from the word the phrase is modifying.

Learn more about diagramming prepositions.

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Conjunctions

Conjunctions are connecting words.

Coordinating conjunctions join elements that are the same. They are diagramed on dotted lines between the elements that they are connecting.

Learn more about diagramming coordinating conjunctions.



Subordinating conjunctions join dependent adverb clauses to independent clauses. They are diagramed on diagonal dotted lines between the elements that they are connecting.

Learn more about diagramming subordinating conjunctions.

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Interjections, Introductory Words, & Nouns of Direct Address

Both of these are not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence, and when we diagram them, it's very easy to see that they are not related to the rest of the sentence.

They just float above the sentence on their own line!

Nouns of direct address and introductory words are diagrammed the same way as interjections.

Learn more about diagramming interjections.

Learn more about interjections here.

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Miscellaneous: Appositives

Appositives are nouns that rename other nouns.

Diagram them in parentheses after the noun that they are renaming.

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Miscellaneous: Negatives

Negatives like not or n't are adverbs. Diagram them on a slanted line under the verb.

If you have a contraction like isn't, put the verb is on the verb line and the adverb n't on the adverb line.