Modern Grammar - Practice Sentences James Madison University

As requested, here are some sentences that you can use to practice determining constituency and drawing trees. Most of these sentences focus on challenging combinations of some of the more complex sentence structures we've covered, so look at them carefully. I'll be happy to answer any questions. Please note though that practicing these sentences should NOT be thought of as a substitute for studying your notes and the textbook! The sentences on the test will not necessarily be exactly like these...

1. I may have been dreaming.
2. Every good boy deserves fudge.
3. The drunk claimed he flew towards a very old man with enormous wings. (2 trees!)
4. The damage was done by vandals.
5. My friends have a cat and two dogs but they would prefer a potbellied pig or a goat.
6. If you do not know the answer, we believe that you should think about it for ten minutes before you take a guess.
7. The scientist hid his secret notes under the last beaker on the top shelf in his lab.
8. The driver asked if the police officer was joking or being serious when she said she would ticket him.
9. Everyone was astonished that Quayle knew the national anthem.
10. That time heals all wounds might be an overstatement.
11. It has been suggested that time heals all wounds.
12. What we need is a long vacation!
13. The children believe that it was their mother who invented timeouts.
14. Laughing at yourself is good for the soul.
15. When we saw Mona Lisa's smile, we understood the claim that art reveals human nature.