Basic sentence patterns

GRAMMAR:
BASIC
SENTENCE PATTERNS
Compiled: Nguyễn Ngọc Bảo MA
SENTENCES & PHRASES
Sentences:
A sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense
There are four sentence types:
statement, question, command and exclamation
Sentences
A statement ( or declarative sentence) is used to tell or declare something. It ends with a period ( . )
Ex:- There are four birds in the big cage.
- We are studying English.
Sentences
A question ( or interrogative sentence) is used to ask something. It ends with a question mark ( ? )
Ex: - Whose pen is on the desk ?
- Where did they spend their holidays?
Sentences
A command ( or imperative sentence) is used to express a command or a request. It ends with a period ( . )
Ex: - Close your book, please.
- Open the door.
Sentences
An exclamation (or exclamatory sentence) is used to express sudden surprise, pain, etc. It ends with an exclamation mark (!).
Ex: - What a tall tree!
- How cold it is!
Phrases
A phrase is a group of words that doesn’t have complete sense. There are five main kinds of phrase:
verb phrase, noun phrase,
adjective phrase, adverb phrase and preposition phrase.
Phrases
A verb phrase has a lexical verb, which may have one or more auxiliary verbs before it.
Ex: - buy have bought will be bought
- cut had cut will be cut
Phrases
A noun phrase has a head noun, which can have a determiner and / or an adj before it.
Determiner + Adjective + noun
Ex: - desk a desk a heavy desk
- boy that boy that tall boy
Phrases
An adjective phrase has an adjective, which can have an adverb of degree before it.
Adverb of degree + Adjective
Ex: - Nice quite nice
- cheap rather cheap
- Small very small
- tired so tired
Phrases
An adverb phrase has an adverb ( and another adverb of degree).
Adverb of degree + Adverb
Ex: - right absolutely right
- often quite often
Phrases
A prepositional phrase normally begins with a preposition, which is follows by a noun phrase.
Preposition + Noun phrase
Ex: - after dinner
- under the long bridge
- Up stream
- down the steep hill
Main parts of a sentence
The subject of a sentence is the person or thing that the sentence speak about.
To find the subject, we ask who or what the sentence is about.
Main parts of a sentence
The verb of a sentence speaks about its subject. It expresses what the subject does or is.
To find the verb, we ask what the sentence says about the subject.
Main parts of a sentence
A sentence can also have an object, complement, or adverbial. This depends on the verb. For example:
An intransitive verb does not need an object, but a transitive one takes an object to complete its meaning and a linking verb is followed by a complement or adverbial.
Basic sentence patterns
1. With intransitive verbs:
Subject + intransitive verb
Ex: - We have arrived.
- The sun is shining.
- They are talking.
- The flowers died.
Basic sentence patterns
2. With transitive verbs:
Subject + transitive verb + object
Ex: - He wrote the answers.
- We have received a letter.
- They are building a new road.
- She will clean the windows.
Basic sentence patterns
3. Pattern 1:
Subject + transitive + indirect + direct
verb object object
Ex: - We gave them pens.
- She bought her sister a dress.
- They have sent him a present.
- He is bringing me a book
Basic sentence patterns
4. Pattern 2:
Subject + verb + direct + prep. + indirect
object object
Ex: - We gave pens to the poor children.
- She bought a watch for her best friend.
- They sent a letter to their friend.
Basic sentence patterns
5. Pattern 3:
Subject + transitive + object + adverbial
verb
Ex: - He put the table in the kitchen.
- They hung the picture on the wall.
- He kept the bird in a cage.
Basic sentence patterns
6. Pattern 4:
Subject + transitive + object + complement
verb
Ex: - They painted the room green.
- The play made everybody bored.
- We call him Mr. Jones.
Basic sentence patterns
7. Pattern 5:
Subject + linking verb + complement
Ex: - Her sister became a nurse.
- The room is quiet.
- She stays single.
Basic sentence patterns
8. Pattern 6:
Subject + linking verb + adverbial
Ex: - She is on a diet.
- He is in the garden.
- The party is every year.
Questions
In English there are two main kinds of question: “ yes / no “ questions and “ Wh “ questions ( or questions with question words )
Questions
Yes / No questions:
This kind of question needs no question words and the answer is either “ yes “ or “ no “
Ex:
- Are you a student? – Yes, I am.
- No, I’m not
- Does he work hard? – Yes she does
- No, she doesn’t
Questions
“Yes / No” questions are formed like this:
When the verb of the sentence is to be, put the verb before the subject.
Ex:
You are a student. Are you a student?
She is busy. Is she busy?
Questions
When the sentence has an auxiliary verb, put the auxiliary before the subject.
Ex:
She will come. Will she come?
She can drive. Can she drive?
Questions
When the verb is in the present simple, put “do” or “does” before the subject.
Ex:
They live in Paris. Do they live in Paris?
He studies hard. Does he study hard?
Questions
2. “ Wh “ questions:
This kind of question always begins with one of the following question words: How, What, When, Where, Which, Who, Whose, and Why.
Questions
“ Wh” questions are formed like this:
-When the question word is the subject, the word order does not change. It is the same as in the statement. In this case, singular verbs are often used after “ who “ and
“ what “ although the answer may be plural.
Ex: - He wants to play football.
Who wants to play football?

Questions
When the question word is not the subject, we change the positions of the subject and verb as we do in
“ yes / no “ questions.
Ex: - She is busy. Why is she busy?
This is my pen. Whose is this pen?
She words hard. How does she work?



Exclamations
Exclamations are often formed with words like: How, What, So, and Such. Or negative question forms and can also be such short phrases as:
“ wonderful”, “ my God “, etc. Exclamations are always spoken with a rise or fall of the voice, and written with an exclamation mark.

Exclamations
Ex:
- Look at that fall. How wonderful!
What a match!
What a party we had!
Your mother’s so kind!
He’s such a naughty boy!