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Basic Sentence Patterns

The document outlines 7 basic sentence patterns in English: 1. The N be Adj pattern where an adjective is a predicate complement describing the subject. 2. The N be UW pattern where an uninflected word like here or there describes the subject's location. 3. The N1 be N2 pattern where the two nouns refer to the same thing and the second is a predicate nominative. 4. The N InV pattern using an intransitive verb requiring only a subject. 5. The TrV pattern using a transitive verb requiring a direct object to receive the action. 6. The TrV1 TrV2 pattern using two objects,

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Ariane Milagrosa
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107 views10 pages

Basic Sentence Patterns

The document outlines 7 basic sentence patterns in English: 1. The N be Adj pattern where an adjective is a predicate complement describing the subject. 2. The N be UW pattern where an uninflected word like here or there describes the subject's location. 3. The N1 be N2 pattern where the two nouns refer to the same thing and the second is a predicate nominative. 4. The N InV pattern using an intransitive verb requiring only a subject. 5. The TrV pattern using a transitive verb requiring a direct object to receive the action. 6. The TrV1 TrV2 pattern using two objects,

Uploaded by

Ariane Milagrosa
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BASIC SENTENCE

PATTERNS
1

1.The N be Adj. pattern


Where the adjective is a SUBJECT
COMPLEMENT, in particular a PREDICATE
ADJECTIVE . The adjective refers back to
the subject. The copula verb be means
may described as
Example:
Roses are sweet

2. The N be UW (uninflected
word)
Where the uninflected word is an
ADVERBIAL such as here, there, up,
down, in, out, side, upstairs, downstairs,
on, off, now, then, yesterday and
tomorrow. Be has the meaning of be
located or occur
Example:
The meeting was yesterday.

pattern
3. The be
Where the superscript 1 means that the
two nouns have the same referent. The
second noun following the be verb is also
a subject complement, in particular a
PREDICATE NOUN or PREDICATE
NOMINATIVE.
Example:
Her neighbor is my cousin.

4. The N InV pattern

Where the INTRANSITIVE VERB (InV) does


not requires an object. The verb being
self-sufficient can stand alone with its
subject

Example:
Glasses break

pattern
5. The TrV

Where
the TRANSITIVE VERB (TrV)
requires an object. does not have the
same referent as is called the DIRECT
OBJECT of the verb, the receiver of the
action.

Example:
The girl buys yellow roses.

6. The TrV

pattern

Where the superscript 1, 2 and 3


indicates that each noun has a different
referent.
Example:
Mother gave a gift to the orphan. (may
read as Mother gave the orphan a gift.)
Two noun object occurs after the verb.
Still is the DIRECT OBJECT and is the
INDIRECT OBJECT. If we omit the last
noun, the pattern

Identical to that in item 5. Note that the


indirect object is preceded by the
preposition to (sometimes for or of). If the
two object are inverted, the preposition
disappears.
Example:
He made a toy house for her.
He made her a toy house.
The teacher asked a question of her.
The teacher asked her a question.

pattern
7. The TrV

Adjective

Pronoun
TrV
Adv.(of place), uninflected
Verb, present participle
Verb, past participle
There is a choice of different forms in sentence final
position. These are illustrated as follows:


Example:
The class voted Henry secretary. ()
The principal found the gardener efficient.(Adj.)
We considered the writer you. (Pronoun)
The teacher directed them outside. (Adverb)
She saw them praying. ( Pres. Parti. Verb)
I imagine my father overworked.(Past Parti.
Verb)

The most common illustration of this


sentence pattern is one with the occurrence of a
final . is referred to as OBJECT COMPLEMENT.

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