Sentence Mastery Workshop

SENTENCE PATTERNS: SAMPLES

1. S--Vi--(A!."
(S#$%ect--&ntransiti!e Ver$--A!er$' #s#a((y optiona("
The )an coughed ((o#(y".
The a#ience laughed.
The *#est has arrived.
The chi(ren walked o+n the street.
The +aiter hurried a+ay ,ro) the oor.
Note: An intransiti!e !er$ is an action !er$ that oes not re-#ire a irect o$%ect or a
co)p(e)ent to co)p(ete its )eanin*. The +or .intransiti!e. (itera((y )eans .oes not
carry across.. There,ore' the action o, the !er$ oes not trans,er to an o$%ect' that is' a
person or thin* that recei!es the action o, the !er$. /,ten' a!er$s or a!er$ phrases +i((
appear in these sentences to e0pan the $asic )eanin* o, the !er$.
Note: So)e intransiti!e !er$s can take a irect o$%ect in a i,,erent sentence. 1s#a((y the
)eanin* o, the !er$ chan*es in a sentence re-#irin* a irect o$%ect. 2ere is an e0a)p(e:
2e runs e!ery )ornin*. (intransiti!e !er$"
2e runs a s#ccess,#( $#siness. (transiti!e !er$"
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
SENTENCE PATTERNS: SAMPLES
3. Transitive Verb Patterns (Active Voice)
A. S--Vtr--4/
(S#$%ect 5 Transiti!e Ver$ 5 4irect /$%ect"
The o* catches the $a((.
The $a$y likes $ananas.
4o*s chase cats.
That )an teaches En*(ish.
The scientist performed an e0peri)ent.
Note: So)e !er$s re-#ire an a!er$ +ith this pattern.
S--Vtr--4/--A!.
(S#$%ect 5 Transiti!e Ver$ 5 4irect /$%ect 5 A!er$"
The *#ar put the key in the oor.
The po(ice treated the o( )an po(ite(y.
. S--Vtr--&/--4/
(S#$%ect 5 Transiti!e Ver$ 5 &nirect /$%ect 5 4irect /$%ect"
To) wrote his )other a (etter.
Mr. S)ith teaches the st#ents En*(ish.
The o* gives the )an the ne+spaper.
The shopper gave the c(erk ten o((ars.
Pear( sent To) a $ook.
!. S--Vtr--4/--/C
(S#$%ect 5 Transiti!e Ver$ 5 4irect /$%ect 5 /$%ect Co)p(e)ent"
2e called the teacher a *eni#s.
Teachin* En*(ish is driving She((ey $ananas.
The c(ass elected 6erry presient.
St#yin* keeps hi) $#sy.
The (a+yer considered the e,enant innocent.
A(ice cut her hair short.
The chi( made her )other happy.
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
SENTENCE PATTERNS: SAMPLES
7. S--V(k--SC (S#$%ect--Linkin* Ver$--S#$%ect Co)p(e)ent"
That )an is a )erchant.
2is $rother became chair)an.
2e will remain an o,,icer.
The n#rse seemed tire.
This so#p tastes *oo.
& feel sick.
My *ran,ather looks (or appears) o(.
2is hair turned *ray.
Note: 8o# can o,ten eter)ine +hether the !er$ is (inkin* $y rep(acin* it +ith .to $e.. &,
the )eanin* o, the sentence re)ains the sa)e' yo# ha!e a (inkin* !er$.
Note: A s#$%ect co)p(e)ent ,o((o+s a (inkin* !er$. &t can $e either a no#n or an
a%ecti!e. The no#n SC rena)es or ienti,ies the s#$%ect. The a%ecti!e SC escri$es the
s#$%ect.
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
SENTENCE PATTERNS: SAMPLES
9a. S--V(to $e"--A! or PP
(S#$%ect--Ver$ (.to $e."--A!er$ or Prepositiona( Phrase"
My parents are here.
My ho#se is on Vano+en Street.
The *roceries are in the kitchen.
Note: This pattern is si)i(ar to pattern 7 (S--V(k--SC". 2o+e!er' the !er$ is not
,o((o+e $y a s#$%ect co)p(e)ent (an a%ecti!e or no#n that co)p(etes the )eanin* o, the
s#$%ect". &nstea' an a!er$ o, p(ace or a prepositiona( phrase sho+in* (ocation co)p(etes
the )eanin* o, $e. &n this case' .to $e. is not a (inkin* !er$. So)e *ra))ar $ooks +i((
ca(( .to $e. an intransiti!e !er$ in this specia( case. &ntransiti!e !er$s o not re-#ire a
co)p(e)ent or a irect o$%ect to co)p(ete their )eanin*.
9$. There--V(to $e"--S--A! or PP
(There--Ver$ (.to $e."--S#$%ect--A!er$ or Prepositiona( Phrase"
There was so)e )oney in )y pocket.
There were t+o e0a)s yesteray.
Note: This pattern is o,ten ca((e the .e(aye s#$%ect. pattern. The +or .there. (ca((e
an e0p(eti!e" ,i((s in the p(ace +here the s#$%ect nor)a((y appears. The s#$%ect oesn:t
appear #nti( a,ter the !er$. &, yo# e(ete .there. an )o!e the s#$%ect into its nor)a(
position in ,ront o, the !er$' yo# ha!e )ae this a .pattern 9a. sentence. Re)e)$er that
.there. is ne!er the s#$%ect o, the !er$. The !er$ )#st a*ree in n#)$er (sin*#(ar or p(#ra("
+ith the s#$%ect +or that ,o((o+s it. &, yo# #nerstan this pattern' yo# +i(( a(+ays kno+
+hether to )ake the !er$ sin*#(ar or p(#ra(.
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
N/TES /N TRANS&T&VE VER; PATTERNS:
1. The action e0presse $y a transiti!e !er$ .carries across. to a recei!er. The recei!er o,
the action is ca((e the direct ob"ect. Transiti!e !er$s re-#ire a irect o$%ect to co)p(ete
their )eanin*. A *oo test ,or reco*ni<in* a irect o$%ect is to
ask the -#estion .+hat=. a,ter the !er$. The ans+er is the irect o$%ect.
3. The indirect ob"ect co)es $et+een a transiti!e !er$ an the irect o$%ect o, that !er$.
The &./. recei!es the res#(t o, the action> in other +ors' the &./. recei!es the 4./. A
*oo +ay to ienti,y the inirect o$%ect is to ask the -#estion .to +ho)=. or .,or +ho)=.
a,ter the irect o$%ect. The ans+er is the inirect o$%ect.
7. An ob"ect complement co)p(etes the )eanin* o, the irect o$%ect +ith a no#n that
rena)es it or an a%ecti!e that escri$es it.
9. &n the active voice transiti!e !er$ patterns sho+n on pa*e 3' the sub"ect o, the
sentence per,or)s the action o, the !er$. /n(y transiti!e !er$ patterns can $e chan*e to
the passi!e !oice. &n the passive voice' the s#$%ect o, the sentence does not per,or) the
action o, the !er$. The s#$%ect is #s#a((y the recei!er o, the action (a irect or inirect
o$%ect". ?or) the passi!e !er$ #sin* .to $e. as an a#0i(iary p(#s the past particip(e o, the
)ain !er$.
#$amples:
Active voice: The o* catches the $a((.
Passive voice: The $a(( is caught ($y the o*".
Active voice: The scientist performed an e0peri)ent.
Passive voice: An e0peri)ent was performed ($y the scientist".
Active voice: Pear( sent To) a $ook.
Passive voice: A $ook was sent to To) ($y Pear(".
or To) was sent a $ook ($y Pear(".
Active voice: 2e called the teacher a *eni#s.
Passive voice: The teacher was called a *eni#s.
S-&V (S#$%ect-&ntransiti!e !er$"
S-TV-4/ (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-4irect o$%ect"
S-TV-&/-4/ (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-&nirect o$%ect-4irect o$%ect"
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
S-TV-4/-/C (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-4irect o$%ect-/$%ect co)p(i)ent"
S-LV-PN (S#$%ect-Linkin* !er$-Preicate no#n"
S-LV-PA (S#$%ect-Linkin* !er$-Preicate a%ecti!es"
These are the sentence pattern that yo# nee to e0p(ain :"
S-&V (S#$%ect-&ntransiti!e !er$"
The .o-er. o, the action p(#s an action +or that stans on its o+n +itho#t takin* a
irect o$%ect.
E0a)p(e: 6ohn (s#$%ect" co((apses (intransiti!e !er$"
S-TV-4/ (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-4irect o$%ect"
The .o-er. o, the action p(#s an action +or p(#s a irect o$%ect to +ho)A+hich the
action is one.
They (s#$%ect" +atch (transiti!e !er$" te(e!ision (irect o$%ect".
S-TV-&/-4/ (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-&nirect o$%ect-4irect o$%ect"
We (s#$%ect" *i!e (transiti!e !er$" these )en (inirect o$%ect" o#r )oney (irect o$%ect".
S-TV-4/-/C (S#$%ect-Transiti!e !er$-4irect o$%ect-/$%ect co)p(i)ent"
The presient (s#$%ect" )ae (transiti!e !er$" his $rother (irect o$%ect" a !ice-presient
(o$%ect co)p(e)ent".
S-LV-PN (S#$%ect-Linkin* !er$-Preicate no#n"
Mrs 6ones (s#$%ect" is ((inkin* !er$" )y co#sin (preicate no#n".
S-LV-PA (S#$%ect-Linkin* !er$-Preicate a%ecti!es"
2is con#ct (s#$%ect" has $een ((inkin* !er$" is*race,#( (preicate a%ecti!e" an
an*ero#s (preicate a%ecti!e".
8o# can ,in o#t a(( a$o#t s#$%ects' !er$s' irectAinirect o$%ects' co)p(e)ents an
preicates at:
http:AA*ra))ar.ccc.co))net.e#A*ra))arAo...
So#rce:
St#ie an ta#*ht En*(ish.
B#ick r#(es:
Transiti!e !er$s are action !er$s that re-#ire a irect o$%ect. The !er$:s action is
trans,erre irect(y to the o$%ect' +hich can $e a no#n' prono#n' phrase' or c(a#se.
?in the irect o$%ect $y askin* S#$%ect 5 Ver$ 5 WhatAWho)= My a is ri!in* ?re
to his ,rien:s ho#se. My a is ri!in* +ho)= ?re. That:s the irect o$%ect. There,ore'
ri!e is a transiti!e !er$.
&ntransiti!e !er$s on:t re-#ire a irect o$%ect. My a *oes to +ork e!ery )ornin*. My
a *oes +hat or +ho)= That oesn:t )ake sense' so there is no irect o$%ect. There,ore'
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Sentence Mastery Workshop
*o is an intransiti!e !er$. D&n this sentence' the nat#ra( -#estion is: My a *oes +here=
Where -#estions are ans+ere $y prepositiona( phrases' s#ch as :to +ork.:E
The tricky part: Many !er$s can $e either transiti!e or intransiti!e' epenin* on conte0t.
A,ter +e eat at )y ho#se' +e can *o o#tsie. (intransiti!e"
A,ter +e eat o#r san+iches' +e can *o o#tsie. (transiti!e"
The tr#ck r#ns on iese( *aso(ine. (intransiti!e"
My #nc(e r#ns a resta#rant. (transiti!e"
&:) reain*. (intransiti!e"
&:) reain* an artic(e in T&ME )a*a<ine a$o#t sharks. (transiti!e"
B#ick tip: Sentences +ritten in the passi!e !oice a(+ays contain a transiti!e !er$. &t )akes
sense +hen yo# think a$o#t it. When the +riter #ses the passi!e !oice' the s#$%ect is
hien an the ,oc#s is on the irect o$%ect. ;reak it o+n #sin* the sa)e S#$%ect 5 Ver$
5 WhatAWho)= ,or)#(a' an ,i(( in the )issin* s#$%ect.
Rache( +as *i!en etention. DThe teacherE *a!e +hat= 4etention (irect o$%ect". To
+ho)= Rache( (inirect o$%ect". Since there is a irect o$%ect' *i!e is a transiti!e !er$.
The $a(( +as hit past thir $ase. DThe $atterE hit +hat= The $a(( (irect o$%ect". ToA?or
+ho)= We on:t kno+ (no inirect o$%ect". Since there is a irect o$%ect' hit is a transiti!e
!er$.
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