#1  
Old 18-Oct-2007, 00:54
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Default diagram this sentence

I need to diagram this sentence and fill in the blank and explain why the chosen fill-in is correct:

He acts as if he _____ the coolest guy in school.

fill in either is, was, or were.

I think it should be "is," but need to cite a rule to support my answer. Help?? Thanks
  #2  
Old 18-Oct-2007, 06:07
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Default Re: diagram this sentence

The correct answer is 'were'.

This is called the subjunctive and it is used to show that the speaker does not believe that 'he is the coolest guy in school'.
  #3  
Old 03-Nov-2007, 01:27
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Default Re: diagram this sentence

The correct choice as Horsa suggested is ‘were’: He acts as if he were the coolest guy in school. I’ll try to analyze or diagram this as a complex sentence. The analysis is not necessarily complete.

ST (Type of sentence): Complex

MCL (Main or Independent clause): He acts
SCL (Subordinate or dependent clause): (as if) he were the coolest guy in school
CONJ (Conjunction): as if

Type of SCL: Adverbial CL of manner
Type of CONJ: Compound

MCL
S (Subject): He
Pred (Predicate): acts
VI (Intransitive verb ): acts

SCL:
S (Subject): He
VL (Linking verb): were
COMP (Complement): the coolest guy in school
NP (Noun phrase): the coolest guy
AD (Definite Article): the
AP (Predicative adjective): coolest
NH (Head noun): guy
PPAQ (Prepositional phrase acting as adverbial): in school
P (Preposition): in
OP (Object of Preposition): school
AQ (Adverbial adjunct): in school
NQbAQ (Noun qualified by AQ): guy
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