Chapter 1 Basic sentence pattern - Xuan Yuanyou Advanced Grammar

Simple sentence: Five basic sentence patterns

Now let’s start with a simple sentence.

Simple English sentences can be divided into five basic sentence patterns according to the characteristics of verbs.On the other hand: One of the five sentence patterns must be in line with the correct simple English sentence.These five sentence patterns are:

S + V
S + V + O
S + V + O + O
S + V + C
S + V + O + C


S: Subject
V: Verb
O: Object
C: Complement

Subject and Predicate

A complete sentence must be able to express a complete meaning.This requires at least two parts: the subject and the predicate.The subject is the part that introduces the subject of this sentence. It takes the subject as the core and tells the reader the sentence “who is the protagonist”.The predicate is the part of the sentence that is responsible for narrative work, with the **qualified verb (finite verb)** as the core, telling the reader the protagonist “how”.

The so-called “limited verb” is a verb that changes according to the different personalities and tense (for example, when the subject is a third-person singular number, the current time of the limited verb must be added -s).The so-called verbs in traditional grammar refer to qualifying verbs.As for nonfinite verbs, traditional grammar is not regarded as verbs, but is called verbals, including present participle, past participle, gerund, infinitive phrase, etc.There must be a limited verb to form an independent sentence or limited clause.

The reason why basic sentence patterns are divided into five types is mainly because there are five types of verbs.Including **transitive verb (transitive verb) ** **intransitive verb (intransitive verb), **complete verb (incomplete verb) ** and so on.If it is a transitive verb, it must have an object (object) to accept this action.On the contrary, intransitive verbs do not require an object.In addition, if this verb is an incomplete verb, you need to have a **complement (completion) ** to supplement it to produce a complete sentence meaning.Conversely, complete verbs do not require complements.The following are the five basic sentence patterns.

1. S + V

The dog barked at the mailman. S V (The dog barked at the mailman.)

The subject of this sentence is the noun phrase the dog, and it plays the leading role.The so-called noun refers to the name of “people, land, things, and things”.From this definition, the subject of a sentence must be a noun, including noun phrases, pronouns, noun clauses, etc.

The predicate of this sentence is mainly based on the verb barks, which tells the reader that the dog “barks”.Verbs like bark are called intransitive verbs that can be completed with the need for the object to accept this action.The following at the mailman is a prepositional phrase (the noun phrase the mailman is added to the preposition at as its object), which is used as an adverb and is attached to the verb barked as a modifier.

I got up rather late this morning. S V (I got up very late this morning.)

The subject of this sentence is the pronoun I.The most important thing about predicates is to get up the verb of the **phrasal verb (phrasal verb).The so-called phrase refers to the placement of more than two words together to form a unit of meaning (to be explained together).The verb like get does not mean “get” itself, and it must be combined with the prepositional adverb of up (it looks like a preposition, but there is no object after it, so it is used directly as an adverb) to “get up”, so get up should be regarded as a phrase verb.Actions like get up can also be completed with one’s own strength, which is an intransitive verb (no object required).The following rather late this morning is a phrase of time adverb. The time of the modifier verb got up is an optional modifier.

All the above are examples of “intransitive verbs”.Next, let’s take a look at the usage of “transitive verbs”.

2. S + V + O

The dog bit the mailman. S V O (Dog bite mailman.)

In this example, the action of bite is very different from bark: to do a “bite”, something must be “bited”.This kind of verb is called a “transitive” verb, and it must be followed by an object to “accept” the action.In the above example, bit is a transitive verb, and the bitten mailman is its object.By the way: the same as the subject, the object must also be “people, earth, things, and things”, so the word category of the object must also be nouns (including pronouns, noun phrases, noun clauses, etc.).

Here is one thing that must be explained first.Depending on the usage of the same verb, it is often possible to use it as a transitive verb or an intransitive verb.Take the verb bite I just saw, and the general usage should be a transitive verb, and it needs to have an object.But it can also be used like this: when you see a ferocious bulldog without a tether, you quickly dodge it; then its owner smiled and said:

Don’t worry. It doesn’t bite. S V (Don’t worry. It doesn’t bite.)

In the above sentence, the subject it still represents “dog”, and the verb is still bite. The difference is that this verb now has no object, that is, it is used as an intransitive verb.

When writing, every English sentence has a verb, and you also need to determine whether the verb is transitive or intransitive. You cannot use the wrong sentence pattern.By studying grammar, you can understand what kinds of sentence patterns are there, what kinds of elements are there in each sentence pattern, etc.But grammar does not tell us whether a verb is transitive or intransitive.To solve this problem: you must read English sentences through extensive reading, read a lot of English sentences, and have a lot of contact, and gradually have some confidence in the usage of some commonly used verbs, knowing whether it is transitive or intransitive, and whether there should be an object afterwards.

III. S + V + O + O

There is a transitive verb that can have two objects. This transitive verb mostly has the meaning of “grant”, so it is also called the **grant verb (dative verb) **.The first object after it is the object of grant and the second object is the thing of grant.This sentence pattern can be regarded as a derivative of the S + V + O sentence pattern.For example:

The man’s wife gave him a jar of honey. S V O O (This man’s wife gives him a bottle of honey.)

The subject of this sentence is the noun phrase the man’s wife.There are two objects after the verb give: the first object him is “the object given” and the second object a jar of honey is “the thing given”.

Please note: In the sentence pattern of S + V + O + O, the order in which the two objects appear must be “the object is in front and the thing is in the back”. This order is the same as in Chinese (for “who” and “what”).If the “object” is not placed in the first object, it will become a sentence pattern of S + V + O, as follows:

The man’s wife gave a jar of honey to him. S V O

The position of the first object (object) is from missing, and the sentence pattern will automatically change to S + V + O.At this time, if you have to explain the “object to be given” and there is no place to put it, you have to add a preposition to and create a preposition phrase to him to represent it (this preposition phrase is used as an adverb and a modified verb is given).Let’s take a look at another example:

I teach my son English. S V O O (I teach my son to learn English.)

The verb teach has two objects. The first object my son is the “object” taught, and the second object English is the “thing” taught to him.If the position of the first object is missing, the sentence pattern will become S + V + O.If you want to explain the “object” later, you have to use preposition phrases to explain it, as follows:

I teach English to my son. S V O

IV. S + V + C

“Transferential verb” needs to have an object, while “incomplete verb” needs to have a complement.However, traditional grammar has never explained clearly what an incomplete verb or what a complement is.The simplest way to understand it is: if the verb can be interpreted as “yes”, then this verb is empty and incomplete, and a complement is needed later.

In the predicate of a sentence, the verb generally undertakes the main narrative work and the verb explains the subject “how”.However, if the verb is only interpreted as “yes”, this verb is completely empty and has no narrative ability.All narratives are moved later and only after “yes” really begin to narrate the subject “how is it”, that is the part of “complement”.Please see two examples:

The dog was a bulldog. S V C (That’s a bulldog.)
The dog was mean. S V C (That dog is very fierce.)

Neither of these two sentences nor the verb was has any narrative ability, but only plays a “connection” function.What is really narrating in the predicate is not the verb, but the complement behind it, telling the reader that the dog is a “bulldog” and “very fierce”.This verb that is interpreted as “yes” and has no meaning is called a **-based verb (linking verb), and its function is to connect the subject and the subsequent complement.The one who truly has narrative ability is the part behind the verb, which is “complement”.

Please take a look at the following examples:

That pursuit looks pretty. (That bag looks great.)
The question seems easy. (This question seems to be easy.)
Your friend appears quite a gentleman. (Your friend seems to be a complete gentleman.)
Your suggestion sounds exciting. (Your proposal sounds exciting.)
The woman feels dizzy. (This woman feels dizzy.)
The wine tastes sweet. (Wine is sweet.)
The man remains single. (This person continues to be single.)
The player turned professional. (This player has been transferred to profession.)
The drug proved effective. (The drug proved effective.)
The actor became a big star. (The actor became a big star.)
A school teacher makes a good wife. (It’s great to marry a primary school teacher as a wife.)

These sentences are all sentence patterns of S + V + C. The bottom line part is all so-called verbs. The ones who are really doing narrative work are the complement parts after the verb.There is a very simple test method for this sentence pattern: replace the verb with a be verb (pure “yes”), and the meaning is still similar:

That purse is pretty.
The question is easy.
Your friend is quite a gentleman.
Your suggestion is exciting.
The woman is dizzy.
The wine is sweet.
The schoolmates were friends for life.
The man is single.
The player was professional.
The drug was effective.
The actor was a big star.
A school teacher is a good wife.

因为，look「看起来是」、seem「似乎是」、appear「显得是」、become「成为」、prove「证实为」等等，所有的系动词其实都是各种各样的「是」。这种动词都和 be 词一样，缺乏叙述能力，只能扮演「连系」的角色，把主语和补语串连起来。真正的叙述工作要靠后面的补语来做。

V. S + V + O + C

The man’s wife called him Honey. S V O C (his wife calls him Honey.)

If you drag a “yes” tail behind S + V + O and you must explain what “is” means to be complete, that is, the sentence pattern of S + V + O + C, and there is an object complementary language behind the object.If a sentence like The man’s wife called him, if it means not “his wife calls him” but “his wife calls him (yes)…”, then there is a need to explain “what is”, that is, the object complementary language is needed.

There is also a very simple test method for the sentence pattern of the object complement (S + V + O + C): take out the object and the complement, add a be verb in the middle, and if a sentence pattern of S + V + C can be constructed and the meaning is similar, then it is the sentence pattern of the object complement.

For the following examples, the bottom line part is the object (O) and the complement (C).Please give the reader a try, use the object as the subject, add a be verb in the middle, and the complement afterward becomes the subject complement.The result will be those S + V + C sentences listed in the previous section.

I find the pursuit pretty. (I think this bag is pretty.)
The tip made the question easy. (The problem becomes easy because there are tips.)
I consider the man quite a gentleman. (I think this is a complete gentleman.)
The boss found your suggestion exciting. (The boss finds your proposal very exciting.)
The bus ride made the woman dizzy. (Take a bus and makes this woman feel dizzy.)
I find the wine sweet. (I think the wine is sweet.)
The man’s poverty kept him single. (This man’s poverty keeps him single.)
The victory made the player professional. (This player has been transferred to profession in this game.)
The doctor proclaimed the drug effective. (The doctor claims that this drug is effective.)
The hit movie made the actor a big star. (This sensational film makes the actor a big star.)
Most people consider a school teacher a good wife. (Most people consider elementary school teachers as ideal wives.)

Complement word category

Both the subject and object of a sentence must be nouns.As for subject complement and object complement, the two complements can use the same word categories, including five types, namely noun, adjective, adverb of time, adverb of place, and adverb of preposition.Examples are given below:

1. Noun supplement

John is my best friend. S V C (John is my best friend.)

I consider John my best friend. S V O C (I think John is my best friend.)

The complement my best friend is a noun phrase, and the noun John is inclusive.

2. Adjective supplement

John looks happy. S V C (John looks happy.)

The good news makes John happy. S V O C (Good news makes John happy.)

The complement happy is an adjective used to modify the noun John.

3. Time adverb complement

The final game is tonight. S V C (The final game is tonight.)

The spons set the final game tonight. S V O C (The organizer puts the final tonight.)

The complement tonight is an adverb of time, a modifier noun the final game.

4. Location adverb supplement

The key is there. S V C (the key is there.)

I left the key there. S V O C (I leave the key there.)

The complement there is an adverb of the place, modifying the noun the key.

5. Prepositional adverb supplement

The plane is down. S V C (The plane landed.)

The pilot brought the plane down. S V O C (The pilot leads the plane to land.)

The complement down is a prepositional adverb, modifies the noun the plane.

Basic sentence pattern identification

The five basic sentence patterns of simple English sentences are distinguished by the number of main elements contained in the sentence. They can be divided into three types: two main elements (S + V), three main elements (S + V + O and S + V + C), and four main elements (S + V + O + O and S + V + O + C).If a sentence cannot be seen in a moment, you can first exclude dispensable modifiers such as prepositional phrases, see how many main elements are left, and then distinguish them.The following are examples.

1. Two elements sentence pattern

The cat meowed essentially. (The cat is so meowing pitifully.)

The pinifully at the end of the sentence is an adverb, the modifier verb meowed, which is an optional modifier that will not affect the sentence pattern.There are only two elements left: the subject the cat and the verb meowed.The sentence pattern of the two elements is S + V:

The cat meowed aimily. S V

If an adverb is followed by the subject and verb, and this adverb is a modifier that modifies the verb, then this sentence is the sentence pattern of two elements: S + V.

2. Three elements sentence patterns

The cat caught a mouse.

This sentence has three elements: the subject the cat, the verb caught, and the noun phrase a mouse.The sentence patterns of the three elements are S + V + O and S + V + C.The third element a mouse is an object or a complement?If it is a complement, then if the verb is changed to a be verb, the meaning should be similar.But The cat was a mouse. This sentence obviously has a different meaning from the original sentence, so a mouse is not a complement, so it can only be an object, as follows:

The cat caught a mouse. S V O

Let’s take a look at another example:

The cat looked elegant.

This is also a sentence pattern for three elements.The subject is the noun phrase the cat, the verb is looked, and the adjective elegant is the third element.The sentence patterns of the three elements are only two choices: S + V + O and S + V + C, but the object must be a noun class, and the adjective elegant cannot be an object.Therefore, there is only one possibility for elegant: it is a complement.The way to test subject complementation is to replace the verb with be verb. Try it: The cat was elegant. The meaning is similar to the original sentence, so you can confirm that the original sentence is S + V + C, as follows.

The cat looked elegant. S V C

If there is an adjective after the subject and verb, this adjective should be a subject complementary language, and the sentence pattern is S + V + C.If there is a noun after the subject or verb, the noun is either an object or a complement, you can change the verb to be verb to test: if the meaning remains unchanged, it is S + V + C, otherwise it is S + V + O.

Sentence pattern of three or four elements

The man fed the cat canned food.

This sentence has four elements: subject the man, verb fed, object the cat, and the fourth element is the noun phrase canned food.The sentence patterns of the four elements are only S + V + O + C and S + V + O + O + O. The fourth element is either a complement or another object.Whether it is an object complementary language, the test method is to add a be verb between the object and the complement to see if it is understood: the cat was able to food This sentence obviously does not work, so there is only one possibility left for the fourth element: it is another object, as follows:

The man fed the cat canned food. S V O O

Let’s take a look at another example:

The man called the cat “Fatty”. (This person is called this cat “Fatty”.)

This is also a sentence pattern for four elements, and the fourth element Fatty is a proper noun.Is it a complement or a second object?You can add a be verb in the middle to test: The cat was Fatty., which means similar to the original sentence, so Fatty is the object complement, as follows:

The man called the cat “Fatty”. S V O C

If there is an adjective after the subject, verb, or object, this adjective should be an object complementary language, and the sentence pattern is S + V + O + C.If there is a noun after the subject, verb, or object, this noun may be the second object or the object complement.You can take out the third and fourth elements and add a be verb in the middle to test it: if the meaning is the same, it is S + V + O + C, otherwise it is the sentence pattern of S + V + O + O.

Conclusion

The five basic sentence patterns are the least easy to judge, including “complement”.The so-called “complement” means explaining what “is”. The way to test subject complement (S+V+C) is to replace the verb with be verb, and the way to test object complement (S+V+O+C) is to add a be verb between the object and the complement.