AboutRosemary Lenc Expertise I am a retired Middle School teacher. I am an expert in grammar (structure of the English
language) and writing. I have been a volunteer with AOL Ask A Teacher and have
submitted many articles and special collections (one on diagramming sentences and one
with worksheets and answers so students can check their own practice on grammar skills)
to their knowledge database. I still am with them but would like other work where I can
help students with their English study. I have time to help you with this, if you want me. I
can help with grade school, middle school and high school grammar & writing and can
also look up information on literature (reading) for students and help them with it.
Please let me know if I can be of help in these areas. Thank you.
Rosemary Lenc
Experience
Past/Present clients Have helped many, many students in grade school language arts, middle school and high
school grammar and writing in both the chat rooms (live help that AOL use to have) and
message board answers plus the many students i have taught as a teacher.
Question QUESTION: I have a diagramming question that forces me to diagram the following sentence:
There is a still more fundamental cause underlying our democratic tendencies.
I really can't figure out if "underlying" is used as a verbal or as an adjective. This is an important and urgent question. Thank you very much for your help.
ANSWER: Dear Rachel,
"Underlying our democratic tendencies" is a participial phrase, modifying the subject, cause.
"Cause" is the subject of the sentence.
"There" is an introductory word. It is diagrammed above the subject on a separate line.
"is" is the verb
a, still, more are adjectives that modify the subject, cause.
"tendencies" is the direct object of the verbal, "underlying"
"our, democratic are adjectives modifying tendencies. Put them on separate slanted lines below underlying.
You can find help at my website that has diagramming. Check it out at: http://members.cox.net/teachro/
Thanks for using AllExperts.
Mrs. Lenc
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I have another question:
Let honesty and industry be your constant companions.
This is confuzzling (confusing and puzzling). The teacher said there was a verbal in that sentence. How did I miss that?
Answer Dear Rachel,
I understand why you are confused here and thus below I have given you my reasoning and how I discovered the participle in this sentence.
Shows you that “let” is the past participle of the verb “let” thus “let” in your sentence is a participle modifying the subjects, honesty and industry.
How I determined this is to first look up the meaning of the “let” and get its meaning here which is what I gave you above. I got that from the site, Dictionary.com
Then I went to google and searched for:
The conjugation of the verb, let. It shows as you will see if you go to the site above here...that let is a past participle.
Therefore, I determined that “let” is acting as a participle here.
It should be diagrammed as a participle below the compound subjects,
honesty and industry.
“be” is the verb
“your, constant” are adjectives modifying the word companions...and
companions is a predicate noun...thus you need a slanted line following the verb, be. The slanted line means that you are showing that the word, companions, is another word for the subjects, honesty and industry.
Check out my website I gave you and check the diagramming there. http://members.cox.net/teachro/
http://dictionary.reference.com/
See definition #6 below.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
let1 Audio Help [let] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, let, let·ting, noun
–verb (used with object)
1.
to allow or permit: to let him escape.
2.
to allow to pass, go, or come: to let us through.
3.
to grant the occupancy or use of (land, buildings, rooms, space, etc., or movable property) for rent or hire (sometimes fol. by out).
4.
to contract or assign for performance, usually under a contract: to let work to a carpenter.
5.
to cause to; make: to let one know the truth.
6.
(used in the imperative as an auxiliary expressive of a request, command, warning, suggestion, etc.): Let me see. Let us go. Just let them try it!
