The Five Basic Sentence Patterns

There are five basic sentence patterns that can be used to express your ideas. These patterns serve as guides to arrange your various word functions.

In the study of the basic patterns, there is a need to distinguish a transitive verb from an intransitive verb.

A transitive verb is an action verb that has an object, while an intransitive verb is an action verb that has no object.

Examples: transitive verbs

play, watch, write, eat, drink

Intransitive verbsswim, jump, walk, talk, smile

Before we start, take note of the following abbreviations:

S – subjectIV – intransitive verb LV – linking verb C – complement TV – transitive verb DO – direct object IO – indirect object OC – objective complement

1. S – IV subject – intransitive verb

Beth smiled (sweetly). S IV adv

Maurice left (early). S IV adv

2. S – LV – C Subject – Linking Verb – Complement

Jessica Zafra (is) my favorite writer. S LV C

The chocolate cake (tastes) bitter. S LV C – Predicate

adjective

3. S – TV – DO Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object A super typhoon (hit) the country last week.

S TV DOJose called his girlfriend.S TV DO

4. S –TV – IO –DO Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object

Mary (taught) us English. S TV IO DO

Mr. Guidotti (left) his children a great fortune. S TV IODO

5. S - TV - DO - OCSubject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Objective Complement

They (called) Kobe “The Black Mamba.”S TV DO OC

I (left) the door open. S TV DO OC

Exercise 1 Identify the pattern of each of the following sentences.

1.“Hulk” is my favorite action hero. 2.Divine watched “The Hunger Games” with her

friends last week.3.The news is true! 4.Everybody called him “The Flash.”5.The teacher gave us a truckload of homework.

Exercise 2

Construct a sentence for each pattern.

1.S – TV – DO2.S – LV – C3.S – TV – IO – D04.S – IV5.S – TV – DO – OC

Exercise 3

Find 5 examples for each pattern from newspaper articles.