BASIC PATTERNSGRAMMAR + MECHANICS

PART 1

THREE BASIC PATTERNS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

1. SUBJECT – INTRANSITIVE VERB (S I V)

2. SUBJECT – TRANSITIVE VERB – COMPLEMENT (S T C)

3. SUBJECT – LINKING VERB – SUBJECT COMPLEMENT (S L C)

UNDERSTOOD SUBJECT

WHEN THE SENTENCE IS A COMMAND, THE SUBJECT IS UNDERSTOOD.◦CLEAN YOUR ROOM!

THE UNDERSTOOD SUBJECT = “YOU”

VERBS

INTRANSITIVE – NO COMPLEMENT

TRANSITIVE – HAS A COMPLEMENT

LINKING – LINKS SUBJECT WITH A COMPLEMENT

WHAT IS A COMPLEMENT?

A complement is a word, phrase or clause which is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning.

INTRANSITIVE VERBS

DOES NOT NEED A COMPLEMENT TO COMPLETE THE MEANING

He ran slowly. ◦Ran does not have an object.

She walked across the bridge.◦Walked does not have an object.

TRANSITIVE VERBS

DOES NEED A COMPLEMENT TO COMPLETE MEANING

He gave her the flowers. ◦Gave what? flowers

He mailed the letter.◦Mailed what? letter

LINKING VERBS

Shows a relationship between subject and complement.

The words after the verb further describe the subject in some way.

Not action verbs.

LINKING VERBS

Forms of the verb “to be”◦Am, Is, Is being, Are, Are being, Was, Was being, Were, Has, Has been, Have been, Will be, Will have been, Had been, Are being, Might have been

LINKING VERBS

Forms of the verb “to become”◦Become, Becomes, Became, Has become, Have become, Had become, Will become, Will have become

LINKING VERBS

Forms of the verb “to seem”◦Seemed, Seeming, Seems, Has seemed, Had seemed, Will seem

LINKING VERBS

"I am glad it is Friday." Here the linking verb "am" connects the subject (I) to the state of being glad.

"Laura is excited about her new bike." Here "is" describes Laura's emotional state of excitement.

"My birds are hungry." The word "are" identifies that the birds currently exist in a physical state of hunger.

LINKING VERBS

Action verbs that can be linking verbs◦Grow, Look, Prove, Remain, Smell, Sound, Taste, Turn, Stay, Get, Appear, Feel

LINKING VERBS

The flowered looked wilted.◦Looked = linking

She looked for flowers.◦Looked = Action (Transitive)

LINKING VERBS

The sauce tasted delicious. ◦Tasted = linking

She tasted the sauce.◦Tasted = Action (transitive)

COMPOUND SUBJECTS / PREDICATES

COMPOUND SUBJECT – WHEN MORE THAN ONE SUBJECT IS COMPLETING THE ACTION

COMPOUND PREDICATE – WHEN THE SUBJECT IS DOING MORE THAN ONE THING (TWO VERBS)

PASSIVE / ACTIVE SENTENCES

ACTIVE SENTENCE – WHEN THE “DOER” IS IN THE SUBJECT PORTION OF THE SENTENCE.◦DAVID PLAYED GUITAR

PASSIVE SENTENCE – WHEN THE OBJECT RECEIVING THE ACTION IS LOCATED IN THE SUBJECT PORTION OF THE SENTENCE.◦THE GUITAR WAS PLAYED BY DAVID.