Chap 9 Sentence Patterns

SENTENCE PATTERN

SENTENCE

SUBJECT

PREDICATE

e.g.1. The little girl eats ice-cream.2. He is my brother.

Function Subject + Predicate

Form NP + VP

Subject of a sentence can made up of:a single subject

(one noun/ noun phrase)a compound subject

(more than one noun/ noun phrasea non-finite clause (to-infinitive/ -ing participle)a finite clause

- a subject can come in front of the predicate, or after the predicate;

Subject before predicate:e.g. The man is resting.

Smoking cigarettes can ruin your health.

Subject after predicate:e.g. Situated along the river is my house.

Here comes Alan.

1. The bell has rung.2. En. Raman has sold his car to my sister.3. On to the field ran the horses.4. The clothing sold in the next shop is much

cheaper.5. We saw the boy running towards your office.6. Down came the heavy rain.7. How he was murdered remains a mystery.8. The man who wears a red shirt is my

neighbour.

Parse the following sentences into Subject

(S) and Predicate (P):

1. The bell has rung.2. En. Raman has sold his car to my sister.3. On to the field ran the horses.4. The clothing sold in the next shop is much

cheaper.5. We saw the boy running towards your office.6. Down came the heavy rain.7. How he was murdered remains a mystery.8. The man who wears a red shirt is my

neighbour.

Answer:

7 Basic sentence patterns:

1.S V2.S V Od

3.S V Cs

4.S V A5.A V Oi Od

6.S V Od Co

7.S V Od A

1. S V

Subject Predicate

My head hurts.

The train arrives.

May and Jane might have left.

Function Subject Verb

Sentence My head hurts

Form NP Vgp

Analysis :

Verbs:- intransitive

2. S V Od

Subject Predicate

She had lost her key.

My brother has been keeping the money

All the guests love my cooking

Analysis :

Verbs:-transitive-requires a direct object

Function Subject Verb Direct object

Sentence The lecturer has scolded the students.

Form NP Vgp NP

3. S V Cs

Subject Predicate

The dress on display is beautiful

Our breakfast seems ready

Most of the houses in this area

are hers.

Analysis :

Verbs:-intensive (copular/ linking)-show attributes of subjects

Function Subject Verb Subject complement

Sentence The soup tasted delicious

Form NP Vgp AdjP

4. S V A

Subject Predicate

My office is in the next building

The first meeting was on Sunday

He seems in excellent health

Analysis :

Verbs:-intransitive, followed by prepositional phrase (adverbial)

Function Subject Verb Adverb

Sentence Your money is on the table

Form NP Vgp PP

5. S V Oi Od

Subject Predicate

He could have given her the wrong file

I must send her some flowers

My mother will make me a cake.

Analysis :

Verbs:-Transitive-Followed by 2 noun phrases

Function Subject Verb Indirect

object

Indirect

object

Sentence The guest handed the receptionist the room key.

Form NP Vgp NP NP

6. S V Od CO

Subject Predicate

That made the public extremely angry

The students elected him the new class president

Everyone calls her Molly

Analysis :

Verbs:-Transitive-Followed by noun phrase & adjective phrase/ another noun phrase.

Function Subject Verb direct

Object

Object

complement

Sentence They

He

are driving

has named

me

his baby

crazy

Peter

Form NP Vgp NP AdjP/

NP

Subject Predicate

You can put your computer on the desk

She treated the children very well

I will take the tourists around

Analysis :

Verbs:-transitive, followed by noun phrase followed by a prepositional phrase or adverb phrase (adverbial)

Function Subject Verb direct

object

Adverb

Sentence The girl

You

has placed

should stand

the kitten

the syringe

In the box

upright

Form NP Vgp NP PP/

AdvP

7. S V Od A

1. My head aches terribly.2. They have lost their key in the field.3. She bought her mother a new dress for her

birthday.4. The delegates elected Mr. Henry their new

chairman in an emergency.5. He must have placed the stool there.

Analyse the constituents of sentences in

terms of function:

1. My head aches terribly. S V A 2. They have lost their key in the field. S V Od A3. She bought her mother a new dress (for her birthday). S V Oi Od

4. The delegates elected Mr. Henry S V Od their new chairman (in an emergency). Co

5. He must have placed the stool here. S V Od A

Answer: