BASIC SENTENCE PATTERNS
- structure or arrangement of words in a sentence
1. Subject – Intransitive Verb (S-IV)
S – doer of the action
IV – action word that does not need an object
Note: The sentence is already complete.
Example: The baby cried.
S IV
2. Subject – Linking Verb – Complement (S–LV–C)
S – what the sentence is about
LV – connects the subject to the complement
C – describes or identifies the subject
Note: No action is done.
Example: The sky is blue.
S LV C
3. Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object (S–TV–DO)
S – doer of the action
TV – action word that needs an object
DO – receiver of the action (answers what/whom)
Note: Without the DO, the sentence is incomplete.
Example: She reads a book.
S TV DO
4. Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Objective Complement (S–TV–DO–OC)
S – doer of the action
TV – action word that needs an object
DO – receiver of the action
OC – describes or renames the DO
Note: The OC completes the meaning of the DO by telling what it becomes, is named, or is described as.
Example: They elected her president.
S TV IO DO
5. Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object (S–TV–IO–DO)
S – doer of the action
TV – action word that needs objects
IO – to whom/for whom
DO – what is given/sent/made
Note: Ask two questions in order — to whom/for whom? then what?
Example: He gave me a gift.
S TV IO DO
GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS! ♡