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Sentence Pattern Notes
Sentence Pattern Notes
You will eventually need to tell me the 5 patterns, identify sentence patterns in sentences that I give you, and write sentences using the pattern that I give you. 1. S V This pattern has the subject of the sentence first followed by the verb. The verb will either be an action verb or a being verb (see definitions # 12 and 13) Example sentences: S V The dog ran away. S V The piano played automatically. S V The garden was in the sunshine. 2. S V DO This pattern has the subject first, followed by an ACTION verb. The action verb is followed by a noun or a pronoun that receives the action of the verb. This noun or pronoun is called the DIRECT OBJECT (DO). To locate the DO: Find the verb Ask: Is it an action verb? If yes, say the verb and then ask whom or what The noun or pronoun that answers that question is the DO Example sentences: S V DO I saw fifteen puppies in the store. Saw what? Saw puppies. S V DO Sam played chess in the room with the candles. Played what? Played chess. S V DO The wolf showed his fangs in the moonlight. Showed what? Showed fangs. 3. S V IO DO This pattern also has the subject first followed by an ACTION verb. It also has a DO. Between the V and the DO, you can sometimes find a noun or pronoun that answers the question to whom, for whom, to what, or for what after the verb. This answer is called the Indirect Object (IO). You must first find the S V and DO then look between the V and the DO to find the IO. Example sentences: S V IO DO I gave Jerry the guitar. Gave what? Gave guitar.(DO) To whom? To Jerry. (IO) S V IO DO Sam asked the Magic 8 Ball a question. Asked what? Asked question. To what? To the M8B.
4. S LV PN This pattern must have a LINKING verb in the sentence. The job of this verb is to LINK the subject to a word after the verb that renames the subject. This word is called a PREDICATE NOUN (PN). In this type of sentence, the S and the PN are the same thing or the same person. Example sentences: S LV PN Mrs. Woods is a teacher. (Mrs. Woods and teacher are the same person in this sentence). S LV PN The director of the movie was Ron Howard. (director and Ron Howard are the same). S LV PN Roses are the most fragrant flowers. (roses are flowers). 5. S LV PA This pattern is like the S LV PN except that the word after the LV describes the subject. (It is an adjective). We call it the PREDICATE ADJECTIVE (PA). In this type of sentence the PA describes the S. Example sentences: S LV PA Mrs. Woods is strange. (Strange describes Mrs. Woods) S LV PA The diary was secretive. (Secretive describes the diary) S LV PA Hunnys eyes are freaky. _________________________________________________________________ _ LEARN the LINKING VERBS!!!!!!! Study definitions 12-16, 22 and 23 for additional notes and explanations. ALSO: DOs and IOs are not required to be in sentences. You can never have an IO without a DO. You can have a DO without an IO. AND: If an action verb has a DO, we say that the verb is TRANSITIVE. If there is no action verb or the action verb doesnt have a DO, we say that the verb is INTRANSITIVE.