Ally McBeal–style cadence Cornell notes + color-coded flashcards & T-model parsing for Saint Augustine (Age 13)

Clear, student-friendly Cornell-note layout, color-coded flashcards, comical Ally McBeal cadence reading guide, and a T-model sentence-parsing template (blank boxes/circles) that labels every word's part of speech, phrases, clauses, sentence structure, and sentence type — using Michael Clay Thompson-style analysis for a 13-year-old.

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Quick teacher note (for you):

This long sentence from Saint Augustine is one complex declarative sentence made of many clauses. Below you'll find a Cornell-notes page, fun Ally McBeal cadence reading hints, color-coded flashcards for parts of speech, a full word-by-word parts-of-speech list, phrase and clause labels, the sentence structure/type, and a T-model parsing template with blank boxes/circles so the student can fill in.

Cornell Notes (Student, Age 13) — Printable layout

Notes (take these while you read/listen)
- Main idea: I must first explain the reasonings people use to seek happiness, so readers see the difference between false philosopher hopes and God’s true hope and fulfillment.
- Main clause: "I must first explain" (subject I; verb must explain).
- Adverbial clause: "As I see that I have still to discuss..." (gives reason/circumstance).
- Direct object: "the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life" (noun phrase + relative clause).
- Purpose clause: "in order that it may be evident... how the empty dreams... differ..." (shows why he explains).
- Key phrases: prepositional phrases "of the two cities," "in this unhappy life," "from divine authority," "to unbelievers."
- Important relative clauses: "by which men have attempted..."; "which God gives to us"; "which He will give us as our blessedness."
Cue column (questions/key words)
- What is Augustine going to explain?
- What reasons do men use for happiness?
- How do philosophers' dreams differ from God’s hope?
- What type of sentence is this?
Summary (write 1–2 sentences after you finish):
Augustine will explain the human-made reasonings for happiness to show that philosopher dreams are empty compared to God’s hope and the real fulfillment God will give us.

Ally McBeal-style Comical Cadence & Reading Guide (fun, for aloud practice)

Ally McBeal cadence = small dramatic pauses, a little sing-song, and comic timing. Use these stage notes when you read the sentence aloud. Commas are places to breathe; long clauses get a quirky tilt.

Read like this (stage directions in brackets):

As I see [calmly], that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, [pause, small gasp, raise eyebrows like "uh-oh"], I must first explain [firm; short beat], so far as the limits of this work allow me, [softly, parenthetical], the reasonings [pointing gesture], by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life, [slight sad tone], in order that it may be evident, [announce], not only from divine authority, [serious], but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, [clear, persuasive], how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, [contrast, lift pitch on "differ"], and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness. [joyful finish — smile on "blessedness"].

Cadence tips: Put slightly more stress on words that show contrasts: fit / earthly and heavenly / reasonings / empty dreams / hope / fulfillment / blessedness. Pause at commas. Use a sing-song lift for contrasts, and a soft, slow tone for the sad phrase "unhappy life."

Color-coded Flashcards (Parts of Speech key)

Use these as flashcards. Each color = a POS. Take the sentence, find a word of that color, and tell its role.

NOUN
(pink) e.g., destinies, reasonings, life, dreams, hope
VERB
(blue) e.g., see, discuss, explain, have attempted, differ
ADJECTIVE
(green) e.g., fit, earthly, heavenly, empty, substantial, unhappy
ADVERB
(yellow) e.g., still, first, only, also
PREPOSITION
(lavender) e.g., of, by, in, from, to, as
CONJUNCTION
(peach) e.g., and, but, as, that
PRONOUN
(sea) e.g., I, it, which, themselves, us, He
DETERMINER / ARTICLE
(gray) e.g., the, a, this, such, our, two

Word-by-word Parts of Speech (fillable study version)

Below is the sentence broken into words with the suggested part-of-speech tag for each. You can print and cover the right column and quiz yourself.

Word Part of speech (explanation)
AsSubordinating conjunction (shows reason/circumstance)
IPronoun (subject)
seeVerb (present)
thatComplementizer (introduces clause after 'see')
IPronoun (subject)
haveAuxiliary verb
stillAdverb (continues action)
toInfinitive marker (to discuss)
discussVerb (base form)
theDeterminer / article
fitAdjective (proper)
destiniesNoun (plural)
ofPreposition
theDeterminer
twoNumeral / determiner
citiesNoun (plural)
theDeterminer
earthlyAdjective
andCoordinating conjunction
theDeterminer
heavenlyAdjective
IPronoun (subject of main clause)
mustModal auxiliary (shows necessity)
firstAdverb (order/time)
explainVerb (main verb)
soAdverb (in phrase 'so far as')
farAdverb (in phrase 'so far as')
asSubordinating conjunction ('so far as' introduces limit clause)
theDeterminer
limitsNoun (plural)
ofPreposition
thisDeterminer
workNoun
allowVerb (present: allow me)
mePronoun (object)
theDeterminer
reasoningsNoun (plural) — direct object of 'explain'
byPreposition (starts relative phrase 'by which')
whichRelative pronoun (refers to 'reasonings')
menNoun (plural)
haveAuxiliary verb
attemptedVerb (past participle)
toInfinitive marker
makeVerb (base)
forPreposition
themselvesReflexive pronoun (object)
aArticle
happinessNoun
inPreposition
thisDeterminer
unhappyAdjective
lifeNoun
inPreposition (starts 'in order that')
orderNoun (part of phrase 'in order that')
thatSubordinating conjunction (introduces purpose clause)
itPronoun (anticipatory 'it')
mayModal auxiliary
beVerb (linking verb)
evidentAdjective (subject complement)
notAdverb (negator, used with 'only')
onlyAdverb (paired with 'not only')
fromPreposition
divineAdjective
authorityNoun
butCoordinating conjunction
alsoAdverb
fromPreposition
suchDeterminer
reasonsNoun (plural)
asRelative conjunction (introduces relative clause 'as can be adduced')
canModal auxiliary
beVerb (passive voice helper)
adducedVerb (past participle)
toPreposition
unbelieversNoun (plural)
howInterrogative adverb/connector introducing content clause
theDeterminer
emptyAdjective
dreamsNoun (plural)
ofPreposition
theDeterminer
philosophersNoun (plural)
differVerb (present)
fromPreposition
theDeterminer
hopeNoun
whichRelative pronoun (modifies 'hope')
GodProper noun
givesVerb (present)
toPreposition
usPronoun (object)
andCoordinating conjunction
fromPreposition (introducing second compare target)
theDeterminer
substantialAdjective
fulfillmentNoun
ofPreposition
itPronoun (refers to 'hope')
whichRelative pronoun (modifies 'fulfillment')
HePronoun (subject; God referred to as 'He')
willModal auxiliary
giveVerb (base)
usPronoun (object)
asPreposition (as = in the role of)
ourPossessive determiner
blessednessNoun

Phrases & Clause Identification (short list)

  • Adverbial clause (reason/circumstance): "As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly,"
  • Main clause (independent): "I must first explain"
  • Parenthetical limit phrase: "so far as the limits of this work allow me" (adverbial, modifies 'explain')
  • Direct object (noun phrase): "the reasonings" + relative clause "by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life"
  • Purpose clause: "in order that it may be evident ... how ... differ ..." (shows the purpose of explaining)
  • Content clause (after 'how'): "how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope ... and from the substantial fulfillment ..."
  • Relative clauses: "by which men have attempted..."; "which God gives to us"; "which He will give us as our blessedness."

Sentence Structure & Type

Structure: Complex sentence (one independent clause + multiple dependent clauses and phrases).
Type: Declarative (it states Augustine’s plan and reasons).

T-model sentence-parsing template (blank boxes/circles for student practice)

Print this section. Fill the left column with single words (or groups), then write the part of speech and function in the right boxes.

Left (Words / Circles to label)
  1. As ( )
  2. I ( )
  3. see ( )
  4. that ( )
  5. I ( )
  6. have ( )
  7. still ( )
  8. to discuss ( )
  9. the fit destinies ( )
  10. of the two cities ( )
  11. the earthly and the heavenly ( )
  12. I must first explain ( )
  13. so far as the limits of this work allow me ( )
  14. the reasonings ( )
  15. by which men have attempted ... ( )
  16. to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life ( )
  17. in order that it may be evident ( )
  18. not only from divine authority ( )
  19. but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers ( )
  20. how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope... ( )
  21. and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness ( )
Right (Boxes to fill — POS & function)
  1. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  2. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  3. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  4. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  5. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  6. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  7. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  8. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  9. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  10. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  11. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  12. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  13. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  14. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  15. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  16. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  17. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  18. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  19. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  20. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]
  21. [____ POS ____] [____ function ____]

Hints: POS = noun, verb, adj, adv, prep, pron, det, conj, aux, modal, part. Function = subject, object, modifier, complement, adverbial clause, relative clause, purpose clause.

One short worked example (helps you get started)

We'll parse the short part: "I must first explain the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life."

  • Subject: I (pronoun)
  • Predicate: must first explain (modal + adverb + verb)
  • Direct object: the reasonings (noun phrase)
  • Relative clause modifying 'reasonings': by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life
    • Inside relative clause: men (subject), have attempted (aux + verb), to make (infinitive verb) a happiness (direct object) for themselves (indirect object, reflexive), in this unhappy life (prepositional phrase modifying 'make').

Final tips for the student

  1. Read the whole sentence aloud once to feel the rhythm (use the Ally McBeal cues).
  2. Find the main clause first (I must first explain). That anchors everything.
  3. Circle relative pronouns (which, that, as) and subordinating words (as, in order that, how). Each one usually starts a dependent clause.
  4. Color-code words using the flashcards—pick one color per POS and mark the sentence.
  5. Fill the T-model left to right: write the words/phrases on the left column and then label POS + function on the right.

If you want, I can create a printable one-page PDF of the Cornell notes + the blank T-model for you to print and complete, or I can fill in the T-model fully as an answer key. Which would you prefer?

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