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

The boys
I
Ali

Verb

are playing
put
is reading

Object

Prep.Phr

football
hats
magazines

Yesterday, I went to the library with my friend.

s + v + pp.
+ pp.

in front of street.
on the table.
in the terrace.

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+VPredication)
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.
sings and dances.
is singing.
can sing.
has sung.
doesnt sing.
will not sing.
Jack

Single/basic
compund
Auxiliaries + V
Aux + V3
Aux+ not + V

is treated by his doctor.

(aux+V3)
is being treated
has been treated
has+been+V3

Base Verb

V1

V2

V3

WORK

work
works

worked
worked

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 oclock.

Pattern 2 (S is NOT the same as

O)
Subject
Verb
Object
(100%
N)

(100%
verb)

(100% Noun)

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
Object

Indirect
Object

Mary

gets

letters

from

Tim

Our
friends

are
watching

the
movie

about

global
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
BE)

Complement
(NOUN/ADJ/Phr.)

I
I
I

Am
Am
Am

a student
Smart
at school

Mr. John
He
He

Has been
Is
is

our neighbor
Friendly
At our yard

Pattern 5
Subject

Verb
(Linking)

Complement
(ADJECTIVE)

Their
children

are

happy

The
concert

will be

interesting

Pattern 6
Subject

Verb
(Linking)

Complement
(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 patients 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 patients teeth. (SI)
3. A dentist cleans patients plaque. (SI)
4. A dentist makes false teeth. (SI)

A dentist is A DOCTOR THAT treats

patients teeth, cleans , and makes

 1. Corn is a plant.
2. The cobs are attached to the trunk.
3.

Pattern 8 (PASSIVE)
Subject

Aux + Verb
3

Adverbial

The plant

HAS BEEN
OBSERVED

In the laboratory

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 verbreading.)

 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.

The milk is in the refrigerator.

(How..?)
(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 oclock 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.