update 9/9/2012: For the purposes of our class, Quirk and Greenbaum’s 5+2 scheme is simpler and easier to remember.
According to Martha Kolln (p 55), the following 10 sentence patterns account for 95% of all sentences in English. NOTE: The sentences below are the simplest form of each pattern; each has just one independent clause.
3 “be” patterns
The students are upstairs.
The students are diligent.
The students are scholars.
2 linking verb patterns
The students seem diligent.
The students became scholars.
1 intransitive verb pattern
The students rested.
4 transitive verb patterns
The students studied their assignment.
The students gave the professor their homework.
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
The students consider the course a challenge.
What makes these sentences different is the predicate, not the subject, and what makes the predicates different is the grammatical function of its parts.
3 “be” patterns
The students are upstairs.
(Subject – Be-verb – Adverb)
The students are diligent.
(Subject – Be-verb – Adjective)
The students are scholars.
(Subject – Be-verb – Subject Complement)
2 linking verb patterns
The students seem diligent.
(Subject – Linking verb – Adjective)
The students became scholars.
(Subject – Linking verb – Subject Complement)
1 intransitive verb pattern
The students rested.
(Subject – Intransitive Verb)
4 transitive verb patterns
The students studied their assignment.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object)
The students gave the professor their homework.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object)
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Adjective)
The students consider the course a challenge.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Object Complement)
4 transitive verb patterns in living color
The students studied their assignment.
(Subject – Transitive verb – Direct Object)
The students gave the professor their homework.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object)
The students consider the teacher intelligent.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect Object – Adjective)
The students consider the course a challenge.
(Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object – Object Complement)
The last 4 sentences again:
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || studied (VERB) their assignment (DIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || gave (VERB) the professor (INDIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) their homework (DIRECT OBJECT = NOUN PHRASE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || consider (VERB) the teacher intelligent (ADJECTIVE).
The students (SUBJECT = NOUN PHRASE) || consider (VERB) the course a challenge (SUBJECT COMPLEMENT = NOUN PHRASE).
NOTE: All subjects in sentences are either NOUNS or NOUN PHRASES.
DEFINITIONS:
linking verb
intransitive verb
transitive verb
AND SEE:
• SVO v. SVC
• 5 + 2: the 7 ‘canonical’ English sentences
• Class notes on X-1-2-3
• 3 ways to combine the 7 sentence patterns
• 10 basic sentence patterns in the English language
• SM’s sophisticated SVOO sentence
• DT’s astute observation (reflexive pronouns) tablehtml mergecells
• A short overview of English syntax by Rodney Huddleston
English 109 