Complex Sentences, Clauses & Sentence Diagramming
Grades 5-6 | Ages 10-12Master grammar using the 4 Rs!
"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer each one." - Colossians 4:6
Every sentence has two main parts:
The wise king Solomon | ruled Israel with great wisdom.
Complete Subject: The wise king Solomon
Simple Subject: Solomon
Complete Predicate: ruled Israel with great wisdom
Simple Predicate: ruled
Underline the complete subject once. Underline the complete predicate twice. Circle the simple subject and simple predicate.
1. The prophet Elijah called down fire from heaven.
2. Young David bravely faced the giant Goliath.
3. The twelve tribes of Israel crossed the Jordan River.
4. Faithful Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz.
5. The mighty walls of Jericho fell to the ground.
Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh.
Peter, James, and John were disciples of Yahusha.
Daniel prayed and trusted in Yahuah.
Ruth gleaned in the fields and cared for Naomi.
Write CS for compound subject or CP for compound predicate:
1. ____ Abraham and Sarah traveled to Canaan.
2. ____ The Israelites crossed the sea and walked on dry ground.
3. ____ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow.
4. ____ David played the harp and sang psalms.
5. ____ The sun and moon stood still for Joshua.
Combine these sentences using compound subjects or predicates:
6. Noah built the ark. Noah gathered the animals.
7. Miriam sang praises. Aaron sang praises.
A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb.
| Independent Clause | Dependent Clause |
|---|---|
| Can stand alone as a sentence | Cannot stand alone - depends on another clause |
| Has complete meaning | Begins with a subordinating word |
| David defeated Goliath. | Because David trusted Yahuah |
Time: after, before, when, while, until, as soon as
Cause: because, since, as
Condition: if, unless, even if
Contrast: although, though, even though, while
Write I for independent clause or D for dependent clause:
1. ____ Yahusha healed the blind man
2. ____ when the disciples saw the miracle
3. ____ because Yahuah is faithful
4. ____ the temple was destroyed
5. ____ although the storm was fierce
6. ____ Peter walked on water
7. ____ before the rooster crowed
8. ____ Solomon built the temple
1. Which is a dependent clause?
2. A dependent clause:
Because David trusted Yahuah, he defeated Goliath. (dependent + independent)
Daniel was thrown into the lions' den because he prayed to Yahuah. (independent + dependent)
When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Yahusha's words. (dependent + independent)
Write S (simple), C (compound), or CX (complex):
1. ____ Moses received the commandments on Mount Sinai.
2. ____ When Noah finished the ark, the rain began.
3. ____ Joshua fought the battle, and the walls fell down.
4. ____ Because Yahuah is merciful, we have hope.
5. ____ The disciples followed Yahusha.
6. ____ Although Jonah ran away, Yahuah still used him.
Combine into complex sentences:
7. Abraham left his homeland. Yahuah called him. (Use "when")
8. The Israelites wandered for 40 years. They did not trust Yahuah. (Use "because")
A sentence diagram is a picture that shows how words in a sentence relate to each other.
The subject and verb go on a horizontal line, separated by a vertical line that crosses through.
Subject | Verb
("The" is an article - we'll add modifiers in the next lesson!)
Draw diagrams with just the subject and verb (ignore modifiers for now):
1. Birds sing.
2. Moses prayed.
3. Children learn.
4. Stars shine.
A direct object receives the action of the verb. It answers "what?" or "whom?" after the verb.
David defeated Goliath. (Defeated whom? Goliath)
Moses received the commandments. (Received what? The commandments)
The direct object goes after the verb, separated by a vertical line that does not cross through the main line.
Subject | Verb | Direct Object
Yahuah created the heavens. (Subject | Verb | Direct Object)
Peter caught fish. (Subject | Verb | Direct Object)
Solomon built the temple. (Subject | Verb | Direct Object)
Diagram these sentences with subject, verb, and direct object:
1. Noah built the ark.
2. Yahusha healed the sick.
3. Ruth gathered grain.
4. The disciples caught fish.
prophet | prayed
/ \ \
The faithful earnestly
"The" and "faithful" modify "prophet"
"earnestly" modifies "prayed"
| Adjectives | Adverbs |
|---|---|
| Modify nouns/pronouns | Modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs |
| Answer: Which? What kind? How many? | Answer: How? When? Where? To what extent? |
| the mighty God | speaks loudly |
Diagram these sentences with modifiers:
1. The good shepherd watches carefully.
2. Young David sang joyfully.
3. The mighty angel spoke loudly.
A prepositional phrase = preposition + object (and any modifiers)
Prepositional phrases act as adjectives or adverbs.
Location: in, on, at, under, over, beside, between, among, through
Direction: to, from, toward, into, out of, across
Time: before, after, during, until, since
Other: with, without, for, of, about, by
Moses walked to the mountain. (tells where - adverb phrase)
The man from Galilee spoke. (tells which - adjective phrase)
Yahusha prayed in the garden. (tells where - adverb phrase)
Underline the prepositional phrases. Circle the preposition.
1. The Israelites walked through the sea.
2. Elijah sat under the tree.
3. Daniel prayed before the window.
4. The disciples traveled with Yahusha.
5. Ruth gleaned in the fields of Boaz.
6. The prophet from Judah spoke to the king.
Write ADJ (adjective phrase) or ADV (adverb phrase):
7. ____ the king of Israel
8. ____ walked to Jerusalem
9. ____ the scroll in the temple
10. ____ prayed during the night
Moses | walked
\
to
\
mountain
/
the
prophet | spoke
/ \
The from
\
Judah
("from Judah" modifies "prophet" - adjective phrase)
1. David fought with courage.
2. The disciples traveled to Jerusalem.
3. The scroll in the temple was read.
disciples | followed | Yahusha
/ \ \
The faithful to
\
Jerusalem
Identify the sentence type (S, C, or CX):
1. ____ The prophet spoke boldly to the king.
2. ____ When Yahusha called, the disciples followed.
3. ____ Moses led the people, and Aaron spoke for him.
Diagram these sentences completely:
4. The wise king ruled justly.
5. Yahuah gave the commandments to Moses.
6. The faithful shepherd protected the sheep from wolves.
1. CS 2. CP 3. CS 4. CP 5. CS
6. Noah built the ark and gathered the animals.
7. Miriam and Aaron sang praises.
1. I 2. D 3. D 4. I 5. D 6. I 7. D 8. I
Q1: "When Moses led the people" | Q2: Needs an independent clause
1. S 2. CX 3. C 4. CX 5. S 6. CX
7. When Yahuah called Abraham, he left his homeland.
8. The Israelites wandered for 40 years because they did not trust Yahuah.
1. through the sea 2. under the tree 3. before the window 4. with Yahusha 5. in the fields, of Boaz 6. from Judah, to the king
7. ADJ 8. ADV 9. ADJ 10. ADV
1. S 2. CX 3. C
Check that: main line has subject | verb, modifiers are on slanted lines, prepositional phrases connect properly, direct objects are after the verb with short vertical line.