diagram same modifier modifying two simple subjects in a compound subect

[krishnap]

I am learning diagramming. I searched a lot for this, but could not find it on google. How do I diagram this sentence, for example: My dog and cat are white. My is modifying dog and cat. I do not want to put two 'My' in the diagram ...

[GoesStation]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Please correct your profile information.

[krishnap]

done

[PaulMatthews]

I am learning diagramming. I searched a lot for this, but could not find it on google. How do I diagram this sentence, for example: My dog and cat are white. My is modifying dog and cat. I do not want to put two 'My' in the diagram ...

My dog and cat are white.

"My" is a genitive (possessive) pronoun functioning as determiner. It determines the noun phrase "my dog and cat", functioning as subject. "Are white" is a verb phrase functioning as predicate.

The nominal consists of a coordination of the two nouns "dog" and "cat". Each coordinate has the label 'coordinate - noun' assigned to it, linked by the coordinator "and".

My [dog and cat] are white. (the bracketed bit is the nominal)

The adjective phrase "white" is the subjective predicative complement of "be".

[krishnap]

Why do you want to omit the determiner "my" from the tree?

I do not want to omit "my". But I want to use only one "my". I do not want to put a "my" under dog and another "my" under cat. How do I diagram with only one "my" in the tree?

My son is learning online, and the teacher usually counts the number of words in the sentence and the tree, and the numbers match. In this case, the teacher went ahead and put "my" under dog and "my" under cat, and did not explain why the numbers don't match. He just mentioned that this is one way to do it. I am trying to find out what is the other way to do it where the numbers do match.

[krishnap]

"My" is a genitive (possessive) pronoun. "My dog and cat" is a noun phrase functioning as subject.

The nominal consists of a coordination of the two nouns "dog" and "cat". Each coordinate has the label 'coordinate - noun' assigned to it, linked by the coordinator "and".

My [dog and cat] are white. (the bracketed bit is the nominal)

The noun phrase "my dog and cat" is the subject and "are white" is the verb phrase predicate.

The noun phrase "white" is the subjective predicative complement of "be".

How do you diagram it?
line with dog, line with cat joined by a fork and by a dotted line with 'and'.
my can go on a slanted line under dog AND my can go on a slanted line under cat
but if I want to use only one "my" in the diagram, how do i do it?

[PaulMatthews]

I do not want to omit "my". But I want to use only one "my". I do not want to put a "my" under dog and another "my" under cat. How do I diagram with only one "my" in the tree?

My son is learning online, and the teacher usually counts the number of words in the sentence and the tree, and the numbers match. In this case, the teacher went ahead and put "my" under dog and "my" under cat, and did not explain why the numbers don't match. He just mentioned that this is one way to do it. I am trying to find out what is the other way to do it where the numbers do match.

You posted this while I was still typing my answer. Please read my edited answer.

I don't know what you mean by the numbers matching / not matching.

You don't need two "mys".

I don't recognise the kind of diagram you describe. I thought you wanted a conventional parse that could be used in a tree diagram.

[TheParser]

I do not want to put two 'My' in the diagram ...

NOT A TEACHER



Krishnap, when you use the word "diagram," are you referring to the Reed-Kellogg system of diagramming? The one in which you draw vertical and horizontal lines? If you are, hopefully someone who knows that system will post the diagram. I know a little about that system, but I do not know how to post diagrams. So I shall just use words. Of course, a picture [diagram] is worth a thousand words.

1. You write the word "dog" on a short horizontal line.
2. Under that horizontal line, draw another short horizontal line with "cat."
3. You connect those two horizontal lines with the word "and." (I assume that you know how to do that. I cannot explain how to do so in words.)
4. You then draw a long horizontal line. Under that line, you draw a short slanted line with the word "my" on it.


Congratulations on learning diagramming. Although almost all teachers nowadays think that the Reed-Kellogg diagramming system is a waste of time and does not help the student learn English, I respectfully disagree. (At the university, tree diagrams are used in linguistic classes.)

[jutfrank]

"My" is a genitive (possessive) pronoun functioning as determiner.

How is my a pronoun? Surely that's not right?

The noun phrase "white" is the subjective predicative complement of "be".

What reason do you have for thinking white is a noun phrase as opposed to an adjective phrase?

[krishnap]

NOT A TEACHER



Krishnap, when you use the word "diagram," are you referring to the Reed-Kellogg system of diagramming? The one in which you draw vertical and horizontal lines? If you are, hopefully someone who knows that system will post the diagram. I know a little about that system, but I do not know how to post diagrams. So I shall just use words. Of course, a picture [diagram] is worth a thousand words.

1. You write the word "dog" on a short horizontal line.
2. Under that horizontal line, draw another short horizontal line with "cat."
3. You connect those two horizontal lines with the word "and." (I assume that you know how to do that. I cannot explain how to do so in words.)
4. You then draw a long horizontal line. Under that line, you draw a short slanted line with the word "my" on it.


Congratulations on learning diagramming. Although almost all teachers nowadays think that the Reed-Kellogg diagramming system is a waste of time and does not help the student learn English, I respectfully disagree. (At the university, tree diagrams are used in linguistic classes.)

Thanks.
the horizontal line you mention in bullet 4 must somehow be connected to the simple subjects (dog/cat), i feel. how is that done?