Rex Barks: Diagramming Sentences Made Easy

by Phyllis Davenport, Lisa VanDamme (Introduction)

"...a masterful presentation of grammar--a well-structured, incremental course in diagramming with clear explanations and memorable illustrations of each new principle... Phyllis Davenport understands that if you want to make yourself understood, you need grammar. Her textbook abounds with examples of the ambiguities that result from an ignorance of grammatical rules...The art of diagramming sentences provides students with an indispensable foundation for the study of grammar, and Rex Barks makes the process of learning this skill manageable and fun. The book is laid out in logical, incremental steps, and students are given the opportunity to master one concept before proceeding to the next...It contains many clever devices to help students with tricky concepts (e.g., prepositions are to be remembered as "anything a squirrel can do to a tree.") And it is pervaded by her sense of humor and enthusiasm for her subject. - Lisa VanDamme - Director, VanDamme Academy

Genres: Writing, Education, Language

164 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2004

Reviews

[Ruth Barone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working through the exercises in this book took a while but was such a good use of my time. And I will be honest, the grammar geek in me actually had fun doing all of the diagramming. :D This was a perfect mini-course in general grammar, diagramming, and sentence construction.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the last challenge! If I could write this review in all diagrams, I would.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is in my top ten list of the most useful books I've read.

[Samuel Sadler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to diagramming sentences. Some inconsistencies and a few things which could have been discussed in more length. If you're just looking to get into diagramming, this is a concise guide to the process.

[Anna Walker-Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m obsessed with this book. I loved sentence diagramming in middle school, but didn’t read this book until I was tackling Shakespearean sentence structures in drama school. I later became an English teacher and used it to teach grammar. Phyllis is SO FUNNY. Her sense of humor pervades the book and made teaching grammar really fun :) Spoiler: a preposition is everything a squirrel can do to a tree (well not EVERYTHING...).

[Matt Giudice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough book on dissecting sentences, Rex Barks has made me double-check every sentence in this review for independent clauses. Davenport entices you with early chapters of identifying subjects and objects, then drags you into a torturous pit of gerund nouns and intransitive linking verbs. Guaranteed to give you the sight of sentence diagramming in your everyday life whether you wanted it or not!

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything you ever wanted to know about sentence diagramming, which probably only us word-nerds really ever think about. I got half-way through this, doing all the exercises as I went. The hope had been to help the homeschooled kid to improve her writing with this, but while I find sentence diagramming amusing, I think she'd hate it.

[Dainius Šileika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent beginner book on grammar and sentence diagramming; having finished the book, you won't be able to parse or diagram any sentence, but you'll be ready to move on to a more challenging book.

Where this books shines is in its tone and the number and type of questions that it asks. When you read it, you can tell that Ms. Davenport was a teacher, and her enthusiasm and desire to challenge her students is evident throughout.

However, she also uses some non-standard diagramming techniques, and seems unaware of expletives, calling them "sky hooks" instead.

Having read this book, you should move on to Semmelmeyer's "Practical English" for a more in depth look at grammar, Vitto's "Grammar By Diagram" for a practical mix of grammar and diagramming, or Moutoux's "Drawing Sentences" if you want to truly master the art of sentence diagramming.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheee! Learn how to diagram sentences from the master - a middle school teacher.