Parse the Sentence

This is a partial re-run from July '03, for the benefit of Mssrs. Kerry, Bush, Feingold and McCain.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Subject: Congress
Verb Phrase: shall make no
Direct Object: law
Adjective Clauses:
* respecting an establishment of religion
* prohibiting the free exercises thereof
* abridging the freedom of speech
* of the press;
* the right of the people to peaceably assemble
* to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Conjunctions: or; and

Exercise 1
By use of conjunctions and adjective clauses, there are actually six sentences contained within the above single sentence. Can you find them?

(a) Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

b) Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion.

(c) Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.

(d) Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of the press.

(e) Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people to peaceably assemble.

(f) Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people to petition the Government for redress of grievances.

a short drop and a quick stop