Page 194 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Unit 10: Basic Sentence Patterns

Notes

Notes Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V-N pattern.
The man is a doctor. Basic sentence
The women are doctors. Using plural noun and verb
My father is a nice guy. Modified subject and complement
My grandparents are senior citizens. Modified plural subject and complement

Notes Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
*Other, less common structures are dealt with in another unit.

Notes The Ten Sentence Patterns

1. NP + V-be + ADV/TP: The verb of being is followed by an adverb indicating where
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or when. The adverbial indicating where or when may be a prepositional phrase
2. NP + V-be + ADJ: The verb of being is followed by an adjective that functions as the
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subjective complement. The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement
may be a prepositional phrase
3. NP + V-be + NP : The verb of being is followed by a noun that functions as the
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subjective complement.
4. NP + LV + ADJ: The linking verb is followed by an adjective functioning as a
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subjective complement. The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement
may be a prepositional phrase.
5. NP + LV + NP : The linking verb is followed by a noun functioning as a subjective
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complement.
6. NP + V-int: The action verb takes no direct object. Even if the action verb is
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followed by a prepositional phrase, the verb is still intransitive as long as it does not
take a direct object.
7. NP + V-tr + NP : The action verb is followed by a direct object. The second NP, the
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direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because it is not the
same as the subject (NP1).
8. NP + V-tr + NP + NP : The action verb is followed by an indirect object and then
1 2 3
a direct object. The indirect object and the direct object each receive a new numerical
designation because each is different from the other and both are different from the
subject.
9. NP + V-tr + NP + ADJ: The action verb is followed by a direct object. The direct
1 2
object is followed by an adjective functioning as an objective complement. The
second NP, the direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because
it is not the same as the subject (NP ).
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Contd...

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