Diagraming sentence

Posted by Bruce Kahl on February 29, 2004

In Reply to: Diagraming sentence posted by sphinx on February 29, 2004

: : : Would you please explain this picture? (Several words are enough, please don't trouble yourself to write an abundant answer.)

: : At one time english grammar was taught in an almost mathematical sense.
: : Teachers would break a sentence into parts--subject, predicate or verb and object. These pieces were placed on a line with a "|" separating the pieces from each other.
: : The illustration, which I posted orginally, is not a good one since it it a bit complicated for esl.
: : The sentence above is "See spot run".
: : The you is understood so is put in parenthesis.

: : This is better:
: : I hit Jim.
: : The diagram is;
: : I | hit | Jim

: : Hope this explains it.
: : b

: But what about the picture? A teacher and a running cow? (sheep?)

: And what does "See spot run" mean?

The mid to late 50s here in the US saw an elementary reading primer entitled "The Dick and Jane Series".
It was a series of very simple reading exercises with sentences such as " See Dick run" or "I see Jane".
Dick and Jane were the parents and they had kids (I think )and a dog named Spot.
So the cartoon is an illustrated example of that reading series.
The animal is a dog on a leash and he is running, hence "See spot run".

• Dick and Jane Bruce Kahl 29/February/04
  • Dick and Jane Smokey Stover 01/March/04