Sentence patterns
<br><br> Just about all sentences in the English language fall into ten
patterns determined by the presence and functions of nouns, verbs,
adjectives, and adverbs. <br><br>
The patterns are most easily classified according to the type of verb used:
<br><br>
   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
<br><br> 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. <br><br>
                    smell     taste     look     feel     seem     become      appear     grow
<br><br> 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). <br><br>
                    see    jump      embrace    write    imagine    buy    plummet    think  etc.

 <br><br>

   Terms used to identify various parts of each sentence pattern include the following:
<br><br>


    * NP = noun phrase
<br><br> 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. <br><br>
    * NP1, NP2, NP3, etc. = designations for different noun phrase functions
<br><br> Numbers in sequential order are used with each NP to designate
its difference from or similarity to other NPs before and after it. <br><br>
    *

      V-be = verb of being
    *<br><br>

      LV = linking verb
    *
<br><br>
      V-int = intransitive verb
    *<br><br>

      V-tr = transitive verb
    *<br><br>

      ADV/TP = adverbial of time or place
    * ADJ = adjective
<br><br>
 
THE TEN SENTENCE PATTERNS<br><br>

1.  NP1 + V-be + ADV/TP
<br><br>
   The verb of being is followed by an adverb indicating where or when.
<br><br>
                                                             More information on subjects
<br><br>
 The adverbial indicating where or when may be a prepositional phrase.
<br><br>
                                     

2.  NP1 + V-be + ADJ
<br><br>
   The verb of being is followed by an adjective that functions as the subjective complement.
<br><br>
                      More information on subjective complements
<br><br>
   The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement may be a prepositional phrase.

       

       <br><br>

3.  NP1 + V-be + NP1
<br><br>
   The verb of being is followed by a noun that functions as the subjective complement.
<br><br> 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). <br><br>
4.  NP1 + LV + ADJ
<br><br>
   The linking verb is followed by an adjective functioning as a subjective complement.

       <br><br>

   The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement may be a prepositional phrase.

 
<br><br>
5.  NP1 + LV + NP1
<br><br>
   The linking verb is followed by a noun functioning as a subjective complement.

       <br><br>
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). <br><br>
6.  NP1 + V-int
<br><br>
   The action verb takes no direct object.

       <br><br>
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.    <br><br>

7.  NP1 + V-tr + NP2
<br><br>
   The action verb is followed by a direct object.
<br><br>
                                         More information on  direct objects
<br><br> Note:  The second NP, the direct object, receives a different
numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the same as the subject
(NP1). <br><br>
8.  NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + NP3
<br><br>
   The action verb is followed by an indirect object and then a direct object.
<br><br>
                                  More information on indirect objects
<br><br> 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. <br><br>
9.  NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + ADJ
<br><br> The action verb is followed by a direct object.  The direct
object is followed by an adjective functioning as an objective
complement. <br><br>
                            More information on objective complements
<br><br> Note:  The second NP, the direct object, receives a different
numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the same as the subject
(NP1). <br><br>
10. NP1 + V-tr + NP2 + NP2
<br><br> The action verb is followed by a direct object.  The direct
object is followed by a noun functioning as an objective complement. <br><br> 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).</td></tr></tbody></table>