Sentence Analysis – Arrows and Symbols

Sentence analysis belongs to the Montessori language work for older children. Using coloured arrows, circles and symbols, the child takes a sentence apart piece by piece and discovers how the words connect — who is doing something, what is being done, and to whom. The abstract structure of grammar becomes concrete and hands-on: the child moves the cards, places the arrows and uncovers the parts of the sentence with their hands before putting words to them. The work builds language awareness and reading comprehension, and brings the joy of understanding how language is constructed.

What to look for:

• Material: choose wood or sturdy, laminated card over thin plastic — it needs to withstand daily handling.
• Symbolism: check that the colours and shapes follow the classic Montessori code, so the material is consistent with other things you have at home.
• Size: arrows and cards should be easy for small hands to move and arrange in a row on a table or mat.
• Completeness: a good set covers the most common sentence parts with clear symbol cards, ideally including ready-made practice sentences.
• Language: look for material in the target language or symbols without text, so the sentences can be in the language you use at home.

At home it works beautifully on a floor mat: read a short sentence together, lay out the words and let the child place the arrows and symbols.