TSL1024 | Topic 7: Basic Sentence Patterns |16112020 |

7. Sentence Patterns
• Basic sentence patterns in English
1. Subject-Verb
2. Subject-Verb-Object
3. Subject-Verb-Adverbial
4. Subject-Verb-Complement
5. Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object
6. Subject-Verb-Object-Complement
7. Subject-Verb-Object-Adverbial

The English language has seven basic sentence (or clause) patterns. Examples are:

1. John / laughed. (SV)* [Subject + Verb]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
N V
John laughed
S V

2. John / kissed / Jane. (SVO) [Subject + Verb + Object]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
N V N
John kissed Jane
S V O

3. John / is / tall. (SVC) [Subject + Verb + Complement]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
N V(intens)* A (adjective)
John is tall
S V C
*intens=intensive verb
 An "intensive verb" – usually called a linking verb or a copular verb – is one which is used to
describe its subject. Examples are verbs like be, seem, appear, look, become.After the verb
we can use a noun or noun phrase, an adjective, or a prepositional phrase as a subject
complement in sentences like these:

Jack is the president.

Jack looks tired.
Jack is in his office.

"Intensive" in this case means to focus in, intensely, on one thing: the subject. What comes
after the verb reflect back to its subject. President ===> Jack, tired ====> Jack and his
office===> Jack. Othe examples:

Mary met the president.

Mary knows the answer.
Mary lives near me.

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 TSL1024 | Topic 7: Basic Sentence Patterns |16112020 |

4. John / gave / Jane / a present. (SVOO) [Subject+Verb+indirect Object+direct Object]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
NP NP
N V N DET N
John gave Jane a present
S V dO iO

(dO)=direct object
(iO)= indirect object

5. John / made / Jane / angry. (SVOC) [Subject+Verb+Object+Complement]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
N V N Adv.
John made Jane angry
S V O C

* Complement: The adverb ‘angry’ complementing the object ‘Jane’. Answer the question:
Who is angry? answer: Jane.

6. John / sat / up. (SVA) [Subject+Verb+Adverbial]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
N V P
John sat up
S V A

Adverbial: combination of adverb and adjective: ‘up’ in the sentence above answer the
question “where”?

7. John / put / the bag / down. (SVOA) [Subject+Verb+Object+adverbial]

Clause/Sentence
NP VP
V NP PP
N DET N P
John put the bag down
S V O A

Adverbial: combination of adverb and adjective: ‘down’ in the sentence above answer the
question “where”?

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 TSL1024 | Topic 7: Basic Sentence Patterns |16112020 |

8. Jane / bought / the apples. (SVO)[Subject+Verb+Object]

Clause/Sentence
VP
NP V NP
N DET N
Jane bought the apples
S V O