English Sentence Patterns

English Parts of Speech

MAJOR MINOR

Noun Preposition

Adjective Conjunction

Verb Determiner

Adverb Article
• 1. There is a ball in the school yard.
THERE + Verb + Subject + Prepositional Phrase (Complement)
Few People had not been around the city square.
(There had not been few people around the city square.)
The rain will be heavy.
(There will be the heavy rain.)

• Subject Verb Object Prep.Phr

• The boys are playing football in front of street.

I put hats on the table.
Ali is reading magazines in the terrace.

Yesterday, I went to the library with my friend.

s + v + pp. + pp.
Prepositional Phrase = Preposition + Noun Phr
• On + the table
• Under + the night sky
• Beneath + the pale moonlight
• During + the Dutch colonalization
• Since + 2000
• 6. Andy is very sad because he lost his
phone.
• 7.At this time, I miss my mom so bad.
• 8. I need you but I hate you, my girl.
• 9. Tonight, I will watch a movie with my
sister.
• 10. The girl that sits in front of me is so
beautiful.
Pattern 1 = (S+VPredication)
Subject Predicate
(Verb)
John and I run and jump

We shouted

• Subject : is the agent of the sentence in the active voice; it is

the person or thing that does the action of the sentence, and it
normally precedes the verb. NOTE: Every sentence in English
must have a subject. (In the case of commands, the subject is
understood).
Subject + Predicate
Jack sings. Single/basic
sings and dances. compund
is singing. Auxiliaries + V
can sing.
has sung. Aux + V3
doesn’t sing. Aux+ not + V
will not sing.

Jack is treated by his doctor. (aux+V3)

is being treated
has been treated has+been+V3
Base Verb V1 V2 V3

WORK work worked worked

works worked worked

BE am was been
is
are were
I have been contacted by John.
Sue had been chosen as the CEO.
I have been here. I have been waiting for you.
Sue had been in this town and teaching
kindergarten since last year.
• S + V (Simple Sentence)
• Bob cries.
• My brother is crying.
• My little brother is being observed.
• Bob and his friend cry and fight.
The subject may be a single noun.
Coffee is delicious. Milk contains calcium.

The subject may be a noun phrase (a group of words ending with a

noun).
The book is on the table. That new, red car is mine.

Examples of subjects:
We girls are not going to the movie.
Susi likes boats.
Mary, John, George, and I went to a restaurant last night.
The weather was very bad yesterday.
The animal physiology professor cancelled class today.
The bank close at 2 o’clock.
Pattern 2 (S is NOT the same as O)
Subject Verb Object
(100% (100% (100% Noun)
N) verb)
John and I ate a pizza

We studied math
• S + V + (Direct) O
• Bob writes a letter.
• My grandmother is not cooking my
breakfast.
• The new beautiful flowers have been given
special organic fertilizer.
Pattern 3
Subject Verb Direct Preposition Indirect
Object Object
Mary gets letters from Tim

Our are the about global

friends watching movie warming
• S + V + DO + IO
• John said good-bye to Jane.
• Marry eats a cheese cake from her best
friend.
• My classmate and I visit Baturraden by
car.
• The local radio station announcer is
repeating the missing person news in
every rush hour.
Pattern 4
Subject Verb (TO Complement
BE) (NOUN/ADJ/Phr.)
I Am a student
I Am Smart
I Am at school
Mr. John Has been our neighbor
He Is Friendly
He is At our yard
Pattern 5
Subject Verb Complement
(Linking) (ADJECTIVE)
Their are happy
children
The will be interesting
concert
Pattern 6
Subject Verb Complement
(Linking) (Adverbial Phrase)
My cat is on the floor

The book has been in the drawer

Pattern 7
Subject Verb Adverbial

My cat sleeps on the floor

John hides behind the cupboard

• A college is AN INSTITUTION/A PLACE
where students receive higher or
professional education.
• A dentist is A PERSON/DOCTOR who
treats patient’s teeth.
• Steel is A SOLID THING/METAL which is
produced from iron and carbon.
 Relative pronoun - clause
• 1. A dentist is a doctor. (GI)
• 2. A dentist treats patient’s teeth. (SI)
• 3. A dentist cleans patient’s plaque. (SI)
• 4. A dentist makes false teeth. (SI)

• A dentist is A DOCTOR THAT treats

patient’s teeth, cleans …, and makes …
• 1. Corn is a plant.
• 2. The cobs are attached to the trunk.
• 3.
Pattern 8 (PASSIVE)
Subject Aux + Verb Adverbial
3
The plant HAS BEEN In the laboratory
OBSERVED
John IS CALLED By his friend
Pseudo-subjects.

It is a nice day today.

There was a fire in that building last month.

There were many students in the room.

It is raining right now.

• Verb : verb follows the subject; it generally shows the action of
the sentence.NOTE: Every sentence must have a verb.

The verb may be a single word.

John drives too fast. They hate spinach.

The verb may be a verb phrase (consists of one or more auxiliaries

and one main verb. The auxiliaries precedes the main verb).
John is going to Miami tomorrow.  (aux –is; main verb –going
Jane has been reading that book.  (aux –has been; main verb-
reading.)
• Complement : completes the verb. It is similar to the subject
because it is usually a noun or noun phrase; however, it generally
follows the verb when the sentence is in active voice.
NOTE: Not every sentence require a complement.
The complement CAN NOT begin with a preposition. A complement
answers the question WHAT ? Or WHOM ?

Examples of complements:
John bought a cake yesterday.
Jill was driving a new car.
They called Mary yesteday.
He was smoking a cigarette.
smoking?)
(What did John buy?)
(What was Jill driving?)
(Whom did they call?)
(What was he
Examples of modifiers:

John bought a book at a bookstore. (Where..?)

Jill was swimming in the pool yesterday. (Where..?)

(When..?)

He was driving very fast. (How..?)

The milk is in the refrigerator. (Where..?)

Excercise
1. Rani is cooking dinner tonight.
2. Edy and Isti have visited the president.
3. We can not eat lunch in our canteen today.
4. Ari should have bought gasoline yesterday.
5. Trees grow.
6. It was raining at 7 o’clock this morning.
7. Komang opened a checking account at the bank last week.
8. Irfan is teaching english right now.
9. She opened her book.
10.Paul, William, and Mary were watching TV a few minutes
ago.