Quick guide — 4 levels (flashcards) for a 13-year-old
We use four levels of study. Each level has its own color code so you can make flashcards that match the role words play in a sentence.
- Level 1 — Parts of Speech (the 8 building blocks)
Color key (use these colors on your flashcards):
- Nouns (blue) — people, places, things, ideas
- Verbs (red) — actions or states
- Pronouns (purple) — replace nouns (I, it, which)
- Adjectives (orange) — describe nouns
- Adverbs (teal) — modify verbs/adjectives/other adverbs
- Prepositions (brown) — show relationships (of, in, by)
- Conjunctions (green) — join words or clauses (and, but)
- Interjections (magenta) — short exclamations (oh!)
Flashcard idea: front = word (or sentence chunk), back = part of speech + short reason + example.
- Level 2 — Phrases
Definition: a phrase is a group of words acting as one unit. Color phrases with a soft tint that matches the head word. Common types:
- Prepositional phrase (brown): in this unhappy life
- Appositive phrase: renames a noun: the earthly and the heavenly (adds detail to "the two cities")
- Verbal phrases (act like verb/noun/adjective):
- Infinitive: to discuss
- Gerund: making (verb used as noun)
- Participle: given, fallen (adjective forms of verbs)
- Level 3 — Clauses
Clause = group of words with a subject + verb. Two main kinds:
- Independent clause — can stand alone: "I must explain." (main idea)
- Dependent/subordinate clause — cannot stand alone: "As I see that I have still to discuss ..." (adds context)
- Level 4 — Sentence structure (how clauses combine)
Basic sentence types:
- Simple: 1 independent clause.
- Compound: 2+ independent clauses joined (and, but).
- Complex: 1 independent + 1+ dependent clauses (like Augustine’s sentence).
Now — study and parse Augustine’s long sentence step-by-step
Original sentence (kept intact):
As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, I must first explain, so far as the limits of this work allow me, the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life, in order that it may be evident, not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness.
Step 1 — Find the main (independent) clause
The main clause — the backbone — is: I must first explain.
This tells us the writer’s primary action: must explain (modal + verb) and the subject I.
Step 2 — Identify the leading subordinate (intro) clause
Introductory dependent clause: As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, - Type: adverbial / concessive (gives reason or circumstance). It modifies the main verb "must explain."
Step 3 — Locate parenthetical / limiting phrase
After the main clause comes a limiting phrase about how far the explanation goes: so far as the limits of this work allow me — this is an adverbial phrase/ clause modifying explain.
Step 4 — The direct object (what is explained) and its relative clause
What is explained: the reasonings — then we get a relative clause that explains which reasonings: by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life.
Step 5 — Purpose / result clause (end of sentence)
Purpose: in order that it may be evident ... how the empty dreams ... differ ... This chunk gives the aim for explaining: to show, both from divine authority and from reasonable arguments that can be offered to unbelievers, how the philosophers’ empty dreams differ from the hope God gives and the fulfillment God will give.
Color-coded word-level parse (important words colored by part of speech)
Below, each key word is colored to match a part-of-speech category. Use this as a model when you color your flashcards.
As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, I must first explain, so far as the limits of this work allow me, the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life, in order that it may be evident, not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers, how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness.
Emoji flowchart — the sentence as a stepwise map
Use this like a flowchart. Emojis show functions:
Legend: 👤 subject / actor, 🔴 verb/action, 🧾 noun/idea, 🔁 clause link / relative, 📍prep phrase, 🎯 purpose/result, ⚖️ contrast, 🟦 parenthetical/limit
1) 👤I 🔴must first explain 🧾(the reasonings)
├─ 🔁(why I say this) 👤As I see that I have still to discuss 🧾(the fit destinies) 📍of the two cities ➜ appositive 🧾(the earthly and the heavenly)
├─ 🟦(limit) 📍so far as the limits of this work allow me
└─ 🎯(purpose) in order that it may be evident
├─ 📍not only from 🧾divine authority
└─ 📍but also from 🧾such reasons 🔁(as can be adduced to unbelievers)
└─ 🎯content clause: 🔁how 🧾(the empty dreams of philosophers) 🔴differ ⚖️ from 🧾(the hope which God gives to us) and ⚖️ from 🧾(the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness)
Read that flowchart from top to bottom: main action → why he says it → limits → purpose → sources → exact comparison.
Complete emoji line-by-line TRANSLATION (compact)
One emoji stands for each phrase/role so you can visualize the sentence when you read it aloud:
👁️🗨️(intro reason) → 👤I → 🔎(have to discuss destinies: 🧾two cities + 🧾the earthly & the heavenly) → 🔴I must explain → 🟦(within limits of this work) → 🧾reasonings → 🔁(by which men tried to make for themselves 🧾happiness 📍in this unhappy life) → 🎯(so that it is clear) → 📜(from divine authority) & 📚(from reasons adduced to unbelievers) → 🧾(how philosophers’ empty dreams) 🔴differ ⚖️ from 🧾(the hope God gives) and ⚖️ from 🧾(the fulfillment God will give as our blessedness).
Ally McBeal style — Cadence + oral delivery annotations
Think of Ally McBeal’s expressive inner voice: short, musical beats, dramatic pauses, and little asides. Below is a spoken-read script for practice. I mark pauses, breathing, stress, and tiny inner-monologue beats.
(Practice tip: stand, place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Breathe in for 3 counts before big clauses; exhale steadily when you speak a clause. Pause where a comma or long phrase sits.)
Spoken script with cues:
[Soft, reflective] As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities — the earthly and the heavenly, [short breath] I must first explain [longer breath — 3 counts], so far as the limits of this work allow me [gentle, apologetic tone], the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life [pause — 1.5 sec], in order that it may be evident [slightly rising], not only from divine authority but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers [short breath], how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness.
Delivery notes (Ally McBeal cadence style):
- Start reflective and slightly inward when you say the intro clause ("As I see..."). Let it be softer.
- Briefly increase volume and clarity on the main action: "I must first explain" (this is the spine of the sentence).
- Use a longer breath after "explain" before you launch into the long object — the sentence opens into explanation.
- Mark contrast points ("not only ... but also") with a slight pause and a change of pitch: "not only" (lower) — short pause — "but also" (higher).
- When you reach the comparison clause ("how the empty dreams...") drop your voice a little for gravity, and then slightly brighten on "the hope which God gives" and "the substantial fulfillment... as our blessedness" to show the positive contrast.
Where to breathe (practical)
- After the first comma: after "the earthly and the heavenly," — inhale (3 counts) and continue.
- After "I must first explain," — inhale (3 counts) before the long noun phrase.
- After "in this unhappy life," — small inhale (1–2 counts).
- After "to unbelievers," — small inhale (1–2 counts) then finish the sentence strongly.
Detailed sentence-parsing list (for study/flashcards)
Breakdown into clauses and main phrases — each line is a unit you can put on a flashcard.
- Intro clause (dependent): "As I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly,"
- sub-clause: "I have still to discuss" (construction: verb phrase with infinitive)
- object: "the fit destinies of the two cities"
- appositive: "the earthly and the heavenly" (renames "the two cities")
- Main clause: "I must first explain" (subject I; modal + verb; adverb first)
- Parenthetical limiting phrase: "so far as the limits of this work allow me" (adverbial, sets scope)
- Direct object + relative clause: "the reasonings by which men have attempted to make for themselves a happiness in this unhappy life"
- head noun: "the reasonings"
- relative clause: "by which men have attempted..." (describes the reasonings)
- Purpose/result clause: "in order that it may be evident ... how ... differ ..."
- sources: "not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons as can be adduced to unbelievers"
- content clause: "how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness"
Final practice steps (3-session plan)
- Session 1 — Color-code & label: Print the sentence. Mark each word with the color code and underline clauses. Make flashcards for the clauses.
- Session 2 — Emoji map and read: Use the emoji flowchart to visualize. Read the sentence aloud with the breathing plan (start slow).
- Session 3 — Performance: Read it Ally McBeal style — play with volume/pitch on the main clause and the two contrasted ideas. Record yourself and listen back for clear clause boundaries and steady breathing.
If you want, I can make printable flashcard fronts/backs (with the colors, a short definition, and examples) and create a one-page poster of the emoji flowchart for this sentence.