Test Yourself

Sentence Parts and Patterns

[Harbrace 1, 1a, & 1b(1) - 1b(4)]  

Review

• Introduction: Basic Sentence Parts 
• Predication 
• Basic Sentence Patterns 
• Sentence Part and Pattern Tips 

Practice Exercises

• Identifying Sentence Patterns, Part I
• Identifying the Parts of Speech, Part II

Introduction

Basic Sentence Parts [Harbrace 1]

A sentence has two main parts; the subject, which tells what the sentence is about; and the predicate, which tells what is being said about the subject.

The subject names something and therefore includes a noun or noun substitute; the predicate expresses action or state of being and, therefore, includes a verb.

A sentence may have a simple (one) or a compound (more than one) subject or predicate. 

A sentence may also be called an independent clause (or a main clause) because it has a subject and a predicate and stands on its own.

Predication [Harbrace 1a; see also Harbrace 7]

The type of verb in the predicate determines the basic pattern the sentence follows. 

Here are the basic types of verbs:

ACTION VERBS

A transitive verb transfers action from the subject to a direct object. 

An intransitive verb simply describes the action performed by the subject.

LINKING VERBS

A linking verb connects or links the subject with a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames the subject or describes the subject's state of being. Words such as be, appear, feel, and seem are linking verbs. 

Basic Sentence Patterns [Harbrace 1 & 1b(4)]

Here are the basic types of sentences these verbs form. Each basic pattern can be the core of a sentence that can be expanded by modifiers.

1. subject + transitive verb + direct object (s+v+do)

EXAMPLE:
The children named the vacant lot.

EXPANDED: 
The four children from the neighbourhood named the vacant lot across the street from the church.

EXAMPLE #2:
My father cooked pancakes.

EXPANDED: 
Early that morning, my father cooked buckwheat pancakes and bacon. 

To this basic pattern may be added an indirect object (s+v+io+do) (which tells to or for whom or for what the action was done)

EXAMPLE:
My father cooked the children pancakes.

OR an object complement (s+v+do+oc) (which describes or renames the direct object)

EXAMPLE:
The children named the vacant lot "The Zoo."

2. subject + intransitive verb (s+v) 

EXAMPLE: 
Ruth smiled.

EXPANDED: 
Standing at the podium in front of the crowd, Ruth smiled before beginning her speech.

EXAMPLE #2: 
The gate closed.

EXPANDED: 
At nightfall, the gate closed, thus securing the city against invasion.

3. subject + linking verb + subject complement (s+v+sc) --sc =  predicate nominative (renaming the subject) OR predicate             adjective (describing the subject) 

EXAMPLE: 
Nan became a dentist. (s+v+pn)

EXPANDED: 
After years in school, Nan became a dentist with a large practice.

EXAMPLE #2: 
Nan was proud. (s+v+pa)

EXPANDED: 
Because she had accomplished so much in her profession, Nan was proud of her achievements.

Sentence Part and Pattern Tips  [Harbrace 1b(1) - 1b(3)]

Here are some hints for identifying these sentence parts and patterns: 

To find the subject, ask "Who?"

The student studied.
"Who studied?"
The student.

To find the action verb, ask "What did the student do?" 

The student studied.
"What did the student do?"
Studied.

To find the direct object, ask "What did the subject act on?" 

The student read the questions. 
"What did the student read?" 
The questions.

To find the indirect object, ask "To or for whom? To or for what?" 

The student read Jack the questions. 
"Read to whom?" 
Jack.

To find the object complement, add "To be" between the direct object and the noun or adjective following it. 

The student found the questions hard. 
"Found the questions to be what?" 
Hard.

To find the subject complement, ask "What renames the subject?" 

The student was a singer? 
"What renames the student?" 
Singer. (predicate nominative)

To find the predicate adjective, ask "What describes the subject?" 

The student was nervous. 
"What describes the student?" 
Nervous. (predicate adjective)