Overview (What you'll do)
We will closely read the first line(s) of Book 19 of Augustine's City of God, parse the sentence using a T-model (Michael Clay Thompson style: parts of speech for each word, label parts of the sentence, identify phrases and clause types), then prepare a short memorised mock-court speech that opens with the line. The speech is playful and theatrical — think Ally McBeal cadence: legal language with quirky, rhythmic rises and falls.
Text to use (suggested translation)
It remains that we should say something of the resurrection of the dead. — Augustine, City of God, Book 19 (opening line, common translation)
Note: use your classroom edition if different; the worksheet structure works with any equivalent opening sentence.
Learning goals (ACARA v9 links)
- ACELA1553 / ACELA1555 style outcomes: Identify parts of speech, clauses and phrases and how they build meaning.
- ACELY1722 style outcome: Prepare and present spoken texts, using expressive voice and considered pacing for audience effect.
Worksheet: T-model sentence parse (scaffold)
Use the T-model: left column — each word in order (boxes/circles for parts of speech), center — function in the sentence (subject, predicate, object, clause type), right column — phrase or clause labeling and notes.
Write-out T-model (student copy — with blanks)
| Word (one per box) | Part of speech (circle or write) | Function / Phrase / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| _____ (1) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (2) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (3) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (4) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (5) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (6) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (7) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (8) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (9) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (10) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (11) | _____ | _____ |
| _____ (12) | _____ | _____ |
Hint: If a word is a multiword phrase (e.g., 'the resurrection'), you can put each word on its own line but mark the phrase column as 'noun phrase'.
Filled-in exemplar parse (teacher model)
Sentence: It remains that we should say something of the resurrection of the dead.
| Word | Part of speech | Function / phrase / notes |
|---|---|---|
| It | Pronoun (dummy/extraposed subject) | Expletive/dummy subject; real content is the following 'that' clause. |
| remains | Verb (present, intransitive) | Main verb of the independent clause. |
| that | Subordinating conjunction/introduction to a content clause | 'That' introduces a noun (content) clause which carries the real subject/content. |
| we | Pronoun (subject of clause) | Subject of the subordinate clause. |
| should | Modal auxiliary | Modal marking obligation/necessity in subordinate clause. |
| say | Verb (main verb of subordinate clause) | Verb that takes 'something' as direct object. |
| something | Indefinite pronoun / noun | Direct object of 'say'. |
| of | Preposition | Starts a prepositional phrase that modifies 'something'. |
| the | Article (determiner) | Determines 'resurrection'. |
| resurrection | Noun | Head noun of the noun phrase 'the resurrection of the dead'. |
| of | Preposition | Begins a nested prepositional phrase modifying 'resurrection'. |
| the dead | Determiner + nominalised adjective (noun phrase) | 'the dead' functions as object of the second 'of' preposition; could be considered a noun phrase meaning 'those who are dead'. |
Sentence structure label: Complex sentence (main independent clause: 'It remains' + subordinate noun/content clause introduced by 'that' containing subject 'we' and predicate 'should say...').
Sentence type: Declarative.
Teacher comments on the exemplar parse (explanation for the student)
- 'It' is a placeholder — English often uses a dummy 'it' when the real content is a clause that comes later. Notice how the meaning depends on the clause that begins with 'that'.
- Find the verb chain in the subordinate clause: we + should + say. 'Should' helps show attitude (necessity) and 'say' is the main action.
- Watch nested phrases: 'of the resurrection' modifies 'something'; within that, 'of the dead' modifies 'resurrection'. Label nested prepositional phrases carefully.
Scaffolded teacher notes for reading and close analysis
- Read the sentence aloud three times with different emphasis: neutral, questioning (raise pitch on 'say'), and solemn (slow, clear). Which reading matches Augustine's subject of serious theology?
- Mark the main clause and subordinate clause with brackets or colors. Underline the verb phrases.
- Circle prepositions (of) and put boxes around prepositional phrases: these often give extra detail.
- Ask: What is the real 'thing' that remains? The content clause — this helps students spot extraposition.
Oral memorised mock-court speech (Ally McBeal cadence) — exemplar
Opening (memorised line): It remains that we should say something of the resurrection of the dead.
Follow quickly with a short theatrical paragraph in the same cadence. Use playful legalese: rhythm, quick rises and small dramatic pauses. Example (memorise this short paragraph as your case opening):
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury — (small breath) — you will hear that the question is not merely what happened, but what is to come. (slow, deliberate) We stand here for truth, for bodies and souls alike, and for clarity where confusion stands. (light laugh, tiny upward pitch) Let us speak plainly, and then decide — with reason, with mercy, and yes, with a little bit of style. (firm final beat)
Performance notes (Ally McBeal cadence): Imagine a legal TV character who mixes seriousness with a touch of quirky musical rhythm. Use sing-song inflections on short phrases, pause for comedic timing, but keep conviction in longer sentences. Mark breaths and beats when rehearsing: each dash above shows a breath-break and each parenthetical note shows tone.
How to memorise and rehearse (step-by-step)
- Chunk the lines into 3–4 chunks (first: the opening sentence; second: first clause of the paragraph; third: second clause and closing).
- Mark strong beats: end of each clause, names ('Ladies and gentlemen'), and the final word of the opening line ('dead'). Clap once at each beat while speaking until the rhythm feels natural.
- Practice with expression: say aloud slowly once, with a smile once, and as a whisper once. These different modes help lock memory and add options for performance.
- Record yourself and listen for pacing and Ally McBeal-style melodic rises on the smaller clauses.
Rubrics — Sentence Parsing and Oral Performance
Sentence parsing rubric (teacher commentary included)
- Exemplar (A): Accurately labels each word's part of speech and explains function for each word; identifies clause type correctly (recognises the extraposed content clause); finds and names both prepositional phrases and nested structure. Comments: Student explains why 'it' is an expletive and how 'that' introduces the real content. Offers clear phrase boundaries and short justification for each choice.
- Proficient (B): Labels nearly all words correctly; identifies the subordinate clause and main clause; finds most phrases but may miss the nested prepositional phrase or call 'dead' an adjective without noting its nominal use. Comments: Minor slips in technical labels but reasoning is clear.
- Meeting (C): Identifies main verb and subject, and some parts of speech; may not recognise 'that' clause as subordinate content clause or may misidentify 'it' as a normal pronoun. Comments: Student knows the main parts but needs help with extraposition and nested phrases.
- Beginning (D–E): Labels are often incorrect or missing; fails to identify clause structure and phrases. Comments: Student benefits from guided re-teaching: practice finding verbs, subjects and circling prepositions; use color-coding to separate clauses.
Oral mock-speech performance rubric (with helpful teacher notes)
- Exemplar (A): Speech is memorised and fluid; rhythm matches Ally McBeal cadence (playful rise-and-fall), clear projection, expressive use of pauses, strong eye contact. Comments: Student shows nuance — slight musicality on short clauses and authoritative tone on legal claims. Uses physical gesture sparingly and effectively.
- Proficient (B): Mostly memorised, few hesitations; rhythm mostly consistent, good projection and expression but occasional flatness in long sentences. Comments: Encourage more intentional pauses and dynamic changes in pitch to add the Ally McBeal flavour.
- Meeting (C): Partial memorisation; reads from notes often; monotone pitch or fast pace; limited pausing. Comments: Practice chunking, slowing down, and marking beats. Use more breath control and record/practice in short bursts.
- Beginning (D–E): Relies heavily on text; frequent stopping; unclear diction; minimal expression. Comments: Work on small memorisation chunks and one or two simple gestures; rehearse with a partner who prompts when the student hesitates.
Feedback comments — examples for marking student work
Use these sentence-level comments depending on student performance:
- Exemplar comment: "Excellent analysis — you correctly identified the extraposed 'that' clause and explained the function of the dummy 'it'. Your phrase labels are precise and your explanation of nested prepositional phrases shows strong close reading."
- Proficient comment: "Very good parse. You labelled most words correctly and found the subordinate clause. Next step: explain why 'it' does not carry the sentence's full meaning (extraposition)."
- Meeting comment: "You found the main verb and subject. Try marking the subordinate clause separately and re-check the function of 'that' — is it a conjunction here?"
- Beginning comment: "You have a start. Let's colour-code the sentence: one colour for the main clause verbs, another for the subordinate clause. Then label each word's part of speech slowly, one at a time."
Quick teacher checklist for the session (5–6 steps)
- Read the sentence as a class; then have volunteers read it in the three styles suggested above.
- Hand out the blank T-model and ask students to work in pairs to fill the left column (word list) and guess parts of speech.
- Reveal the exemplar model and discuss differences: focus on 'it' and the 'that' clause.
- Rehearse the short Ally McBeal mock-court paragraph in small groups; mark breaths and beats.
- Perform: each student gives a 30–45 second memorised opening; peers use the rubric to give 2 stars and a wish (two strengths, one improvement).
Final tip: Combining careful grammar labelling with expressive oral work helps students see how meaning and voice connect. The T-model trains precise analysis; the mock-court performance makes that analysis live and memorable.