- 7 Basic Sentence Patterns
- Sentence Patterns
- Basic Sentence Patterns Pdf
- Basic English Sentence Patterns
- All Sentence Patterns In English
- Advanced English Sentences Patterns Pdf
- Basic Sentence Patterns In English Pdf Online
A sentence, such as the subject and the direct object – Your dog chased my cat vs. My cat chased your dog. Syntax rules specify constraints on sentences based on the verb of the sentence.The boy found.Disa slept the baby.The boy found in the house Disa slept The boy found the ball Disa slept soundly Zack believes Robert to be a gentleman. Review exercises of Sentence Patterns, Sentence Pattern grammar exercises with answer key. Review exercises of all Complete Sentence Pattern. The complete predicate is the verb plus its objects, complements, and adverbial modifiers that tell what the complete subject does or is. Learn subject complement example sentences, Sentence Structure in English Grammar, examples of objective.
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In these lessons, we will learn the different ways of introducing the subject in a declarative sentence, basic sentence patterns and the types of sentence patterns.
The following diagram gives some examples of sentence patterns. Scroll down the page for more examples of sentence patterns.
Declarative Sentence Pattern
A sentence must express a complete thought. It must also have both a subject and a predicate. It is possible to express a complete thought in a variety of ways.
Normal Order
There are a number of ways of introducing the subject in a declarative sentence. The normal order is subject first followed by the predicate. If we always followed this pattern, our sentences would soon become monotonous and uninteresting. This is illustrated by the following paragraph.
Example:
My friend gave me a book. It is a book about dogs. I enjoyed reading the book.
In the above paragraph, all the sentences follow the same pattern – subject first, followed by the predicate. We can give more variety to our sentence pattern by placing the words in different positions.
Inverted Order
We can put the subject after the verb or place it at the end of the sentence. This would be called inverted order.
Example:
In my bag, I found an interesting book about dogs. (The subject I is placed after the group of words: In my bag)
Down the street marched the band. (The subject band appears at the end of the sentence)
Interrogative Sentence Pattern
The interrogative sentence is generally in inverted order. Sometimes the interrogative sentence starts with a verb. Often it begins with an adverb, which is used to answer the question.
Example:
Did you bring your books? (Starts with the verb did)
Where did you buy this shirt? (Starts with the adverb where)
Imperative and Exclamatory Sentence Patterns
In the imperative or exclamatory sentence, the subject is seldom expressed. If the subject is not expressed, the word you is implied.
Example:
Open the door now! (The subject you is implied)
Please read the announcements. (The subject you is implied)
Sentences that begins with 'There'
When the word there is used to introduce the sentence, it is possible to place the subject after the verb.
Example:
There was a heavy rainfall last night.
When the word there is used to introduce a sentence, it is called an expletive. The word expletive comes from Latin and it means ‘added merely to fill up’. The word there merely fills up the space normally occupied by the subject.
Basic English Grammar: Order In Sentences
Have you ever wondered what makes some writing more interesting than other writing? Good writers vary the order in sentences.
Basic Sentence Patterns
Subject + VerbExample:
Melissa reads.
She is eating.
Subject + Verb + Object
Example:
I like eggs.
She sees her sister.
Subject + Verb + Adjective
Example:
Laura is busy.
He is smart.
Subject + Verb + Adverb
Example:
Sarah is here.
Jack ran slowly.
Subject + Verb + Noun
7 Basic Sentence Patterns
Example:She is my friend.
They are teachers.
- Show Step-by-step Explanations
Types of Sentence Patterns
We will now look at 5 patterns in the English language.Pattern 1 - Subject + Verb
Example:
Sentence Patterns
Pauly waltzed onto the dancefloor.She read.
The tired old woman cleaned often.
Pattern 2 - Subject + Verb + Direct Object
Example:
Pauly bought a new dress.
She read the book.
The old woman cleaned the drapes.
Pattern 3 - Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Indirect Object
Example:
Basic Sentence Patterns Pdf
Pauly bought her sister a new dress.The old woman gave the pharmacy her prescription.
Pattern 4 - Subject + Linking Verb + Noun Complement
Example:
Melissa was the class president.
The boys were boy scouts.
Pattern 5 - Subject + Linking Verb + Adjective Complement
Example:
The house is very old.
I am very hungry.
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Just about all sentences in the English language fall into ten patterns determined by the presence and functions of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
The patterns are most easily classified according to the type of verb used:
Verb of being patterns (1, 2, 3) use a form of the verb to be as the main verb in the sentence.
is are was were has been have been had been
Linking verb patterns (4, 5) use one of the linking verbs as the main verb in the sentence. The linking verb is followed by a noun or adjective functioning as a subjective complement.
smell taste look feel seem become appear grow
Action verb patterns (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) use one of the many action verbs as the main verb in the sentence. The action verb may be either transitive (take a direct object) or intransitive (not take a direct object).
see jump embrace write imagine buy plummet think etc.
Terms used to identify various parts of each sentence pattern include the following:
- NP = noun phrase
This abbreviation refers to a headword noun and its modifiers ('noun phrase') functioning as a subject, direct object, indirect object, subjective complement, or objective complement.
- NP1, NP2, NP3, etc. = designations for different noun phrase functions
Numbers in sequential order are used with each NP to designate its difference from or similarity to other NPs before and after it.
V-be = verb of being
LV = linking verb
V-int = intransitive verb
V-tr = transitive verb
ADV/TP = adverbial of time or place
- ADJ = adjective
THE TEN SENTENCE PATTERNS
1. NP1 + V-be + ADV/TP
The verb of being is followed by an adverb indicating where or when.
More information on subjects
The adverbial indicating where or when may be a prepositional phrase.
2. NP1 + V-be + ADJ
The verb of being is followed by an adjective that functions as the subjective complement.
More information on subjective complements
The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement may be a prepositional phrase.
3. NP1 + V-be + NP1
The verb of being is followed by a noun that functions as the subjective complement.
Note: The second NP receives the same numerical designation as the first NP because the second NP, the subjective complement, is the same as the subject (Mr. James = teacher).
4. NP1 + LV + ADJ
The linking verb is followed by an adjective functioning as a subjective complement.
The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement may be a prepositional phrase.
5. NP1 + LV + NP1
The linking verb is followed by a noun functioning as a subjective complement.
Note: The second NP receives the same numerical designation as the first NP because the second NP, the subjective complement, is the same as the subject (Joan = Buddhist).
6. NP1 + V-int
The action verb takes no direct object.
Even if the action verb is followed by a prepositional phrase, the verb is still intransitive as long as it does not take a direct object.
7. NP1 + V-tr + NP2
The action verb is followed by a direct object.
More information on direct objects
Note: The second NP, the direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the same as the subject (NP1).
8. NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + NP3
The action verb is followed by an indirect object and then a direct object.
More information on indirect objects
Note: The indirect object and the direct object each receive a new numerical designation because each is different from the other and both are different from the subject.
9. NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + ADJ
The action verb is followed by a direct object. The direct object is followed by an adjective functioning as an objective complement.
Basic English Sentence Patterns
More information on objective complements
Note: The second NP, the direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the same as the subject (NP1).
10. NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + NP2
All Sentence Patterns In English
The action verb is followed by a direct object. The direct object is followed by a noun functioning as an objective complement.
Advanced English Sentences Patterns Pdf
Note: The second NP, the direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the same as the subject (NP1). The third NP, the objective complement, receives the same numerical designation as the direct object (NP2) because it is the same as the direct object (Jacobsen = friend).