Diagramming Adjectives

We diagram adjectives by placing them on a slanted line beneath the noun or pronoun that they describe, limit, or "modify."

  • Molly's (possessive adjective) cute (descriptive adjective) piglet has eaten.

In this sentence, Molly's and cute tell "whose" and "what kind" of piglet, so we attach them to the word "piglet."

  • Jasmine's (possessive adjective) best (descriptive adjective) friend is Mallory.

In this sentence, Jasmine's and best tell "whose" and "what kind" of friend, so we attach them to the word "friend."

  • Tiffany's (possessive adjective) favorite American (descriptive adjectives) author wrote many (indefinite adjective) books.

In the sentence above, Tiffany's tells "whose," and favorite and American tell "what kind" of author. Many is an indefinite adjective describing "books." We say that the adjective many "modifies" the noun books.

  • America's (possessive adjective) first (limiting adjective) President united the (article) many (indefinite adjective) senators.

In the sentence above, America's tells "whose," and first tells "which one" of the Presidents. The, an article, and many, an indefinite adjective, modify the noun "senators."

Examples

Using examples above of diagramming adjectives, diagram these sentences:

  1. Many hungry pigs eat the ice cream.
  2. Many intelligent students remember Dr. Livingstone.
  3. Aesop's popular fables give a moral lesson.
  4. James Madison's hard work produced a practical constitution.

Solutions

We are diagramming adjectives:

1. We see that the adjectives many and hungry describe "pigs," and the adjective the describes "ice cream," so we diagram the sentence like this:

2. We see that the adjectives many and intelligent describe "students," so we diagram the sentence like this:

3. We see that the adjectives Aesop's and popular modify "fables," and a and moral modify "lesson," so we diagram the sentence like this:

4. We see that the adjectives James Madison's and hard describe, or modify, "work," and a and practical modify "constitution," so we diagram the sentence like this: