Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for September 08, 2014

In one C&H storyline, Miss Wormwood went in search of Calvin thinking to herself “six years until retirement.” She sent him to the water fountain without return. Susie pointed out he probably went to his locker to obtain something to help him with the day’s test (it was his Stupendous Man outfit).

Oh jeez another week of “school”. Another reader suggested getting back to Phil. I say “Phil, come on down”!!

I agree with you husky51. I taught myself to read when I was 4, aced 99% of my English classes, including creative writing, and did so well in my college grammar class that the teacher asked me to be a PA for her…and yet I have NEVER understood diagramming.

Well, I did so well in diagramming in 6th grade that the teacher sent me out to the playground by myself while he worked with the rest of the class. That was no reward!

Somehow, even with a bully as a teacher, I learned to diagram sentences well enough to tutor a girl in my class. I think it served me well.

Until I read the letters of St. Paul—-oh my gosh!

Another useless aspect of schooling, Other than the comic comment section and journalism where would you ever need to know how to diagram a sentence when you can just write it as you would say it.

Not all languages in the same place the verbs stick.

Back to new episodes after 2 weeks of 2009 reruns.

Laugh through the tears.The pain of learning is a major part of family life.No pain, no gain?

What’s the matter with you all? Diagramming was FUN!!!

I could never get the hang of diagraming sentences. Mostly – well, entirely – it was a matter of not seeing where it had any practical use. I’d draw a line, write the verb and subject an then just draw lines going every which way. I over-thought things; is “he” a possessive word? “Well, if HE owns it, yes.” That wasn’t the answer the teacher wanted, but it made sense to me.

I am sure I was taught diagramming somewhere along the line, but that is something I have managed to forget on purpose, along with shorthand and accounting.

I always thought diagramming sentences was completely worthless – and I was the one teaching it! I went completely through grade school, high school and college – got a degree in education and never had to diagram a sentence until I got a job in a school where the principal demanded that it be taught.

I hated English Grammar and especially the diagramming……was a total waste of time. Especially since now no one actually talks or writes in complete sentences…..just 150 characters. Regular short hand was easier to learn than all the “idk”, “cul8tr”, “ttyl” crap.

Can I show you my dangling participle now?

Reading music and diagramming sentences are similar in purpose, except for those who ‘do it by ear’ and succeed THAT way..

I can do it by ear, but diagramming sentences makes perfectly good sense to me. What I never understood was the sense of algebra. I could never get equations to balance, nor did I care whether they ever did. Sorry Dad (my high school math teacher, poor fellow. Luckily for him, my younger siblings had no problem with it).

For me I lost out on the most important English structure from Grade school. By Middle school I do not remember any of it.I would like to learn but when I do not use the proper way for English be hard to remember. If a commenter knows diagramming sentences can at least give me an example others might not like it, but I like to learn from it.

I am done with the basics of Jr. college for on-line learning and I am studying the steps of Medical Coding. Only two required subjects after Coding.For my now two adult children when in school I am not sure they had that broad of knowledge of proper English including diagramming.

I will try to check back later.

never works for people learning English as a second language

No it doesn’t Holly.

I was relatively crummy in math. Did OK because I studied like mad, but it wasn’t easy. My husband’s family, though, could do computations in their heads. He wrote a math textbook, and later taught AutoCAD.

I was never taught diagramming and based on your comments, it is a good thing. Seems like it is a useless part of English grammar to learn. As a teacher, I know there are some parts of a subject that are not worth to teach – unless the student is eager or passionate – and it seems diagramming is one of those.

Ack!!! I HATED diagramming sentences!!! The worse part of school ever!!! ;P