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Just as there are formulas in geometry and chemistry, there are formulas in English grammar. Linguists, people who study language, came up with patterns, or formulas, that make up the skeletal structure of most sentences in the English language. Understanding the structure of sentences enhances one's ability to understand English grammar. You may think it will be difficult for you to learn and understand structures of sentences, but the task can be accomplished. In their book, Understanding English Grammar, Martha Kolln and Robert Funk describe ten sentence patterns that make the task easier. The first step in learning the ten sentence patterns is recalling two basic parts of a sentence, the subject and the predicate. Remember that the subject is usually who or what the sentence is about. What is said about that subject is the predicate. Two terms to remember are noun phrase and verb phrase. The noun phrase functions as the subject and the verb phrase functions as the predicate. Look at this sentence: Class starts at 11:30. We know that "class" is the subject. Therefore, "class" is also the noun phrase. Can you find the verb phrase? Remember that the verb phrase is made up of the predicating verb along with its modifiers and complements. The verb phrase is "starts at 11:30." Another important factor in remembering the patterns is knowing that the verb is the central slot in the sentence. The variations in the ten sentence patterns are in the predicate, or verb phrase. Therefore, you can tell what the pattern of a sentence is by looking at its verb phrase. The four groups of the ten sentence patterns are the be patterns, the linking verb patterns, the intransitive verb pattern, and the transitive verb patterns. Next, think about a sentence as being a series of slots. Usually, the first slot is the subject. The second slot is the predicate. Remember, the number of slots in the predicate varies. This is what will help you distinguish the different patterns. It is beneficial to memorize the number of slots for each pattern. Patterns I - III (Be Patterns) The first three patterns are the be patterns. The number of slots in the predicate is two. The first slot contains the main, or predicating verb, which is a form of be. Some examples of forms of be are is, am, are, was, were, being, and been. Expanded forms are have been, was being, might be, and will be. What follows the main verb in the second slot determines which pattern the sentence is. In Pattern I, an adverbial of time or place follows the main verb. An adjectival follows it in Pattern II, and in Pattern III, a noun phrase follows the main verb. * The subscript numbers in some of the patterns show relationship
between noun phrases. If the numbers are identical, the noun phrases
have the same referent (what the noun phrase stands for). Different
numbers denote different referents.
Patterns IV - V (Linking Verb Patterns)
Linking verbs that commonly appear in Pattern IV are verbs of the senses
like taste, smell, feel, sound, and look. Others include
turn, appear, become, get, remain, and prove. Some
of the verbs like become, remain, and seem also are used
in Pattern V.
Pattern VI (Intransitive Verb Pattern) There is no complement, no noun phrase or adjectival, following the
verb in this pattern; however, it is likely that adverbial information
follows the verb. Remember in Pattern I that the adverbial usually
gives time and place information. The adverbial in Pattern VI may
also answer questions such as why or how or how long following
the intransitive verb.
Patterns VII - X (Transitive Verb Patterns) The four transitive verb patterns have one thing in common. They
each contain a direct object. Pattern VII is considered the
basic transitive pattern and contains only a direct object following the
verb. Pattern VIII differs a little in that an indirect object precedes
the direct object. We usually think of the indirect object as the
recipient and the direct object as the thing given. One way to distinguish
between Patterns IX and X is to recognize what the object complement following
the direct object represents. In Pattern IX, the object complement
that follows the direct object is an adjective. It modifies or describes
the direct object. The object complement in Pattern X is a noun phrase.
Remember that in this pattern, the noun phrase has the same referent as
the direct object.
Definitions
Exercise Complete each sentence by filling in the slot with a word or group of words. Draw vertical lines to isolate each slot in the sentence and identify each slot according to its function and form. Then identify the sentence pattern. 1. The mechanic ( ) the car. 2. The test was ( ). 3. The ( ) lectured in the auditorium. 4. The announcements ( ) here. 5. The mother gave ( ) a bath. 6. ( ) are singers. 7. The graduate ( ) a teacher. 8. He considers ( ) friends. 9. The picture looks ( ). 10. The food inspector (
) the food wonderful.
Complete each sentence by filling in the slot with a word or group of words. Draw vertical lines to isolate each slot in the sentence and identify each slot according to its function and form. Then identify the sentence pattern. *Answers will vary. 1.
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