Lesson 1: The Basics of a Sentence
Course Introduction
In this course, you will learn how to parse and diagram sentences in English. In fact, on the other side of this course, you might find yourself in the elite “grammar geek” club! Well, perhaps you don't need to correct everyone’s grammar around you, but you will be able to detangle and understand complicated sentences, which will aid you as you read through Scripture.
If you are taking this course because you got stuck on the grammar when studying Arcing, Bracketing, or Phrasing, you will find the instruction here indispensable. And if you hope to learn Biblical Hebrew or Koine Greek, you will be pleased to hear that much of what you learn here applies to those languages as well.
Parsing and Diagramming
In our context, “parsing” means identifying and labeling each part of the sentence according to its function—subject, verb, indirect object, direct object, etc. Parsing a sentence allows us to understand the structure of the sentence, identify the main thought of the sentence, and see how the words relate to each other to build meaning.
Once we have parsed a sentence, we will then diagram it. A sentence diagram is a graphical representation of a sentence. If you have never diagrammed before, do not worry! We will teach you this skill.
Memorization and Practice
There is a lot of information to cover in just six lessons. In order to not overwhelm you, we have divided the steps into two categories. The first, Parse & Diagram, includes information that you will need to memorize and use. These pertain to the skills of parsing and diagramming that are the main goal of the course. The second category, A Closer Look, is information that you need to understand, but don’t need to memorize. This is the nitty-gritty of the different parts of speech, and will make a helpful reference, but you will not need it in order to parse or diagram. Look for the symbols at the top of each step to know which category it falls within.
You do not need to master every aspect your first time through the course. You may always return to the cheat sheets and lessons as you need them to refresh on a topic.
Hi. My name is Sarah and I am your instructor for this course. I am a homeschooling mom of four, and have really grown in my love for grammar (on top of my existing love for languages) in teaching my children. That’s right—I used the word “love!” While I cannot guarantee that you will feel the same way, I am confident that grammar will be transformed from your adversary into your ally if you will see this course to its end.
—Sarah Hubert
Lesson Structure
Each lesson taught in this course will contain the following steps:
- A devotional note from one of my pastors: Pastor Bill
- A video introduction
- Instruction in sentence patterns, parts of speech, and grammatical terms
- One or more quizzes to test your understanding of the instruction
- An assignment by which you can practice your skills and get feedback