There are five basic patterns around which most English sentences are built.* They are as follows:
S-V
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Subject-Verb
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John sleeps.
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Jill is eating.
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Jack will arrive next week.
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S-V-O
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Subject-Verb-Object
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I like rice.
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She loves her job.
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He's eating an orange.
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S-V-Adj
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Subject-Verb-Adjective
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He is funny.
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The workers are lazy.
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Karen seems angry.
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S-V-Adv
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Subject-Verb-Adverb
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Jim is here.
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Flowers are everywhere.
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No one was there.
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S-V-N
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Subject-Verb-Noun
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She is my mom.
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The men are doctors.
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Mr. Jones is the teacher.
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At the heart of every English sentence is the Subject-Verb relationship. Other elements can be added to make a sentence more interesting, but they are not essential to its formation.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V pattern.
She sleeps.
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Core sentence
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She sleeps soundly.
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An adverb is added to describe how she sleeps.
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She sleeps on the sofa.
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A prepositional phrase is added to tell where she sleeps.
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She sleeps every afternoon.
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A time expression is added to tell when she sleeps.
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She is sleeping right now.
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Verb tense is changed, but S-V relationship remains the same.
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Mary will sleep later.
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Subject is named and another tense is used.
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The dogs are sleeping in the garage.
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New subject may require a different form of the verb.
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Note: Any action verb can be used with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V-O pattern.
They like rice.
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Core sentence
| |
The people like rice.
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Specific subject
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The friendly people like rice.
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Subject modified with an adjective
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The people in the restaurant like rice.
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Subject modified with an adjective
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The people like boiled rice.
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Object modified with an adjective
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The people like hot, white rice.
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Object modified with more than one adjective
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Note: Only transitive action verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adj pattern.
He is fine.
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Basic sentence with "be" verb
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He seems happy.
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Basic sentence with another linking verb
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Jordan is tall, dark and handsome.
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Series of adjectives
| |
He appears very comfortable.
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Adverb or intensifier added
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George became sick last night.
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Different tense and linking verb
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Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-V-Adv pattern.
The teacher is here.
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Basic sentence
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The teacher is over there.
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Using an adverb phrase
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Teachers are everywhere.
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Plural noun and verb used
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The teachers are in the lobby.
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Prepositional phrase functioning as adverb
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Note: 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.
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Basic sentence
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The women are doctors.
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Using plural noun and verb
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My father is a nice guy.
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Modified subject and complement
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My grandparents are senior citizens.
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Modified plural subject and complement
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Note: Only linking verbs can be used with this sentence pattern.
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