Diagramming Sentences

Sentence Diagrams

~ One Way of Learning English Grammar ~

The Basics of Sentence Diagramming

~ Sentences 51-55 ~
 
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Sentence 51: She earned a promotion by completing her projects promptly.
Here the gerund completing, along with its modifier and its direct object, functions as the object of the preposition by. The pedestal is unnecessary when a gerund or a gerund phrase is the object of a preposition. 

Sentence 52: The kids wanted to play in the sandbox.
The direct object of this sentence is the infinitive phrase introduced by the infinitive to play.

Sentence 53: It is pleasant to sit in a boat and dangle your feet in the water.
At first glance, the infinitive phrase of this sentence does not appear to be an appositive; however, it is. It is a noun phrase that follows and further explains the subject it. Compounding is diagrammed in the usual manner. Since infinitives are verbs, they can take direct objects. Here, the direct object of to dangle is feet.

Sentence 54: Our friends arrived too late to catch the last bus.
An infinitive phrase can also be used adverbially. In this sentence, the adverb too modifies the adverb late, as does the infinitive phrase to catch the late bus.

Sentence 55: I hope that you are eager to diagram more sentences.
The noun clause introduced by that serves as the direct object. Within that clause is an infinitive phrase, to diagram more sentences, which modifies the predicate adjective eager. 
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