Creating Grammatical Sentence Paterns in English

HOW ARE SENTENCES FORMED?

Most simple sentences in English follow 10 sentence patterns. These structures are shown in the following examples.

Be verb sentences

Subj+be+adverbial of time/place

Adverbial is an umbrella term which covers all adverb forms, whether single forms, phrases, or clauses.

Example

The students are here.

Subj+be+adjectival

Adjectival is an umbrella term which covers all adjective forms, whether single words, phrases, or clauses.

Example

She is in a bad mood.

Subj+be+nominal

Nominal is an umbrella term which covers all words that function as a noun, whether single words, phrases, or clauses.

Example

The astronaut is an old man.

Linking verb sentences

Subj+linking verb+adjectieval

Example

The students seem diligent.

Subj+linking verb+nominal 

Example

The students became scholars.

Intransitive verb sentences

Subj+VI

VI = verb intransitive 

Example

The students rested.

Transitive verb sentences

Subj+VT+DO

VT = verb transitive and DO = direct object

Example

That car needs new tires.

Subj+VT+IO+DO

IO = indirect object

Example

The teacher made the test easy.

Subj+VT+DO+adjective 

(object complement)

Example

They named their dog Oscar.

Subj+VT+DO+noun 

(object complement)

Example

The judge awarded Mary the prize.

 

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