The first step in making a sentence flow is to divide up the passage into the individual units of thought, called propositions.

Dividing Propositions

Now that you have circled the verbs, divide the propositions by separating each verb and the words that go with that verb from the other propositions. You simply determine where one verbal idea stops and the next one begins, or in other words, go through the passage and for each word, ask yourself, Does this word go with the verb before, or with the following verb? Simply draw a line in the break between propositions, or mark the breaks in some other way.

Some important clues to breaks between propositions are:
  1. Punctuation (period, comma, quotation marks, etc.) is usually a very good indication of a break between propositions.
  2. Conjunctions (and, but, because, etc.) are often a good indication of a break between propositions.
  3. The best clue is just to recognize where one thought ends and the next begins.
  4. Remember that a verb may consist of more than one word. Treat them as if they were one verbal idea, and thus, one proposition.

Note: This may seem difficult and tedious at first, but soon you will get the hang of it and it will become almost second nature.


Click between the words where there is a break between propositions.

For _ God _ so _ loved _ the _ world, _ that _ He _ gave _ His _ only _ begotten _ Son, _ that _ whoever _ believes _ in _ Him _ shall _ not _ perish, _ but _ have _ eternal _ life. _ For _ God _ did _ not _ send _ the _ Son _ into _ the _ world _ to _ judge _ the _ world, _ but _ that _ the _ world _ might _ be _ saved _ through _ Him. _ He _ who _ believes _ in _ Him _ is _ not _ judged; _ he _ who _ does _ not _ believe _ has _ been _ judged _ already, _ because _ he _ has _ not _ believed _ in _ the _ name _ of _ the _ only _ begotten _ Son _ of _ God. - John 3:16-18 NASB
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Sorry, this is a bit of a trick question.
This clause is not a separate proposition, but a relative clause.
We will come back later and discuss its function and how to handle a clause like this. For now, just ignore it and treat it as part of the proposition that surrounds it.
Correct, now find the other breaks
Sorry, try again
Good job, you have found all the breaks
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