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288 viewsBasic Sentence Structure
There are five basic sentence structures in English: Subject-Verb, Subject-Verb-Object, Subject-Verb-Adjective, Subject-Verb-Adverb, and Subject-Verb-Noun. Each structure is demonstrated with examples. The Subject-Verb relationship is at the core of every English sentence, while other elements like adjectives, adverbs, objects, and nouns can be added to make the sentence more descriptive but are not essential.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
288 viewsBasic Sentence Structure
There are five basic sentence structures in English: Subject-Verb, Subject-Verb-Object, Subject-Verb-Adjective, Subject-Verb-Adverb, and Subject-Verb-Noun. Each structure is demonstrated with examples. The Subject-Verb relationship is at the core of every English sentence, while other elements like adjectives, adverbs, objects, and nouns can be added to make the sentence more descriptive but are not essential.
Uploaded by
adlesor_n1Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Sentence Structure
There are five basic patterns around which most
English sentences are built.* They are as
follows:
S-V
Subject-Verb
John sleeps.
Jill is eating.
Jack will arrive next
week.
S-V-O
Subject-Verb-Object
I like rice.
She loves her job.
He's eating an orange.
S-V-Adj
Subject-Verb-Ajective
He is !unn".
#he workers are la$".
%aren see&s angr".
S-V-Adv
Subject-Verb-Averb
Ji& is here.
'lowers are ever"where.
(o one was there.
S-V-N
Subject-Verb-(oun
She is &" &o&.
#he &en are octors.
)r. Jones is the teacher.
At the heart o! ever" *nglish sentence is the Subject-Verb relationship. Other ele&ents
can be ae to &ake a sentence &ore interesting+ but the" are not essential to its
!or&ation.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
pattern.
She sleeps.
,ore sentence
She sleeps sounl".
An averb is ae to escribe how she sleeps.
She sleeps on the so!a.
A prepositional phrase is ae to tell where she
sleeps.
She sleeps ever" a!ternoon.
A ti&e expression is ae to tell when she sleeps.
She is sleeping right now.
Verb tense is change+ but S-V relationship re&ains
the sa&e.
)ar" will sleep later.
Subject is na&e an another tense is use.
#he ogs are sleeping in the
garage.
(ew subject &a" re-uire a i!!erent !or& o! the verb.
Note: An" action verb can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-! pattern.
#he" like rice.
,ore sentence
#he people like rice.
Speci!ic subject
#he !rienl" people like rice.
Subject &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people in the restaurant like
rice.
Subject &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people like boile rice.
Object &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people like hot+ white rice.
Object &oi!ie with &ore than one ajective
Note: Onl" transitive action verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-"d# pattern.
He is !ine.
.asic sentence with /be/ verb
He see&s happ".
.asic sentence with another linking verb
Joran is tall+ ark an
hanso&e.
Series o! ajectives
He appears ver" co&!ortable.
Averb or intensi!ier ae
0eorge beca&e sick last night.
1i!!erent tense an linking verb
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-"dv pattern.
#he teacher is here.
.asic sentence
#he teacher is over there.
2sing an averb phrase
#eachers are ever"where.
3lural noun an verb use
#he teachers are in the lobb".
3repositional phrase !unctioning as averb
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-$ pattern.
#he &an is a octor.
.asic sentence
#he wo&en are octors.
2sing plural noun an verb
)" !ather is a nice gu".
)oi!ie subject an co&ple&ent
)" granparents are senior
citi$ens.
)oi!ie plural subject an co&ple&ent
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
4Other+ less co&&on structures are ealt with in another unit.
