We recently were given the workbook Sentence Diagramming, Level 1 from The Critical Thinking, Co. to review with my oldest son. Having already successfully completed Sentence Diagramming, Beginning with him, I hoped that the next book would be just as helpful in strengthening my son’s grammar skills.

Sentence Diagramming, Level 1 is an 80-page consumable workbook that teaches how to diagram sentences to learn how the English grammar works. This book is ideal for grades 5-12+ and retails for $12.99. With the visual method of diagramming, a student can learn a more creative method of the parts of grammar. This style will also appeal to the math-minded student who enjoys figuring out puzzles. There are twelve lessons in the book with a final review. Some of the lessons included are: compound predicates with direct objects, interrogative sentences, adverbial nouns, prepositional phrases, and more!

Because we have used a Sentence Diagramming workbook in the past, we knew what to expect in the workbook. The lessons are three to four pages long. They begin with a simple explanation of the part of speech being diagrammed, and then a sentence is given that includes this part of speech. Beneath the sentence is the proper diagramming of the sentence. Sometimes there are two examples if there are two ways the part of speech can be used. Also included are any tips for the student to remember. The next section is a series of three questions where the student is to find the error and rewrite the diagramming correctly. Next, the student will work through about four sentences to diagram using the diagram lines provided.  In every lesson, there is included a page of blank diagramming lines, with the instruction for the student to write a sentence to match each diagram. This allows the student to come up with sentences on their own that work with the diagrams given. The final step is for the student to create their own diagrams to match the four or five sentences provided.

We chose to do two lessons each week. I discussed the lesson portion with him, to make sure he understood how the diagramming worked for that particular part of speech. Next, we reviewed the first question in the list of ones with errors, to find what needed to be changed. He continued doing the next ones on his own. My son diagrammed the sentences himself, and found that when they gave him the diagram it was much easier to complete than when he had to draw his diagram on his own. His most favorite part was creating his own sentences to match the blank diagrams, and some of his creations were quite humorous. It became obvious towards the end of the book, that he clearly understood the lessons well, so I cut down the number of items he had to do on each page in half. I always reviewed his work on my own, and then double checked us both using the answer key in the back of the book.

The final review is to diagram twenty-five sentences or varying lengths. They contain work from all the lessons in the book. I cut that in half, and picked two or three on each page for my son to do, because I know that he gets how diagramming works. While he did make a few errors on his diagramming, they were minor and he easily fixed them under my guidance.

In summary, we found that this book is very well done, and is a great way for my son to visually see how all the parts of a sentence are related. I found that once he completes this book, he could work through his writing more fluently, and it was easier for him to add in modifiers, because he knew where they were supposed to go and how the sentence would be put together.  He rarely complained about working through this book, because he found the lessons short and the work easy to complete independently. I find the price to be very affordable for a workbook that provides a lot of grammar instruction. I do not have any cons on this book, because it is very easy to follow and the lessons are concise with ample practice for the student.

My son and I both recommend this book as a good way for a student to have a more visual way to see how the English grammar works, which in turn provides the student with stronger skills for writing. I am already making plans to get the Sentence Diagramming, Level 2 book to use once it is made available!

-Product review by Lisa McKinney, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, May, 2017