SIX BASIC SENTENCE PATTERNS

 There are six basic sentence structures in the English language.

1. Subject-Verb

Examples:

·         The boy plays.

·         Jack eats.

·         Sara sits.

2. Subject-Verb-Direct Object

Examples:

·         The girl pets the cat.

·         I love apples.

·         Bill kicks the ball.

3. Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object

Examples:

·         The girl bakes her mother a cake.

·         I bought Frank a book.

·         Cindy gave me a present.

4. Subject-Linking Verb-Adjective

Examples:

·         Lisa is pretty.

·         They are nice.

·         I am sad.

5. Subject-Linking Verb-Noun

Examples:

·         I am the teacher.

·         Jon is a carpenter.

·         The boy is a student.

6. Subject-Verb-Adverb

Examples:

·         Maria laughs loudly.

·         The dog jumps high.

·         Apples are everywhere.

Expanding Sentences

The examples above are basic sentences. Basic sentences can be expanded, or lengthened, by adding adjectives, adverbs and objects.

1. Subject-Verb

• Jack eats.
  This is the basic subject-verb pattern.
• Jack quickly eats.
  An adverb is added (quickly) to tell how Jack eats. 
   
• Jack quickly eats carrots.
  An object is added (carrots) to tell what Jack eats.
• Jack quickly eats carrots at home.
  Another adverb is added (at home) to tell where Jack eats.
• Jack quickly eats fresh carrots at home.
  An adjective is added (fresh) to tell what kind of carrots Jack eats.

2. Subject-Verb-Direct Object

• Bill kicks the ball.      
  This is a basic subject-verb-object pattern.
• Bill kicks the red ball.
  An adjective is added (red) to tell the color of the ball.
• Bill kicks the red ball hard.
  An adverb is added (hard) to tell how Bill kicks the ball.
• Bill kicks the red ball hard every day.
  Another adverb is added (every day) to tell when Bill kicks the ball.
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3. Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object

• The girl baked her mother a cake      
  This is a basic subject-verb-object pattern.
• The girl baked her mother a chocolate cake.
  An adjective is added (chocolate) to tell the kind of cake..
• The girl skillfully baked her mother a cake.
  An adverb is added (skillfully) to tell how the girl bakes the cake..
• The girl baked her mother a cake yesterday.
  Another adverb is added (today) to tell when the girl bakes the cake

4. Subject-Linking Verb-Adjective

• She looks pretty.
  This is the basic subject-verb-adjective pattern.
• She looks pretty tonight.
  An adverb is added (tonight) to tell when she looks pretty.
• Lisa looks pretty tonight.
  The subject is identified with a name (Lisa).
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5. Subject-Linking Verb-Noun

• The boy is a student.
  This is the basic subject-verb-noun sentence pattern.
• Jon is a student.
  The subject is identified with a name (Jon).
• Jon is a smart student.
  An adjective is added (smart) to tell what kind of student Jon is.
• Jon is a smart student at school.
  An adverb is added (at school) to tell where Jon is a smart student.

6. Subject-Verb-Adverb

·         Apples are everywhere.
This is the basic subject-verb-adverb pattern.

·         Green apples are everywhere.
An adjective is added (green) to describe the apples.

·         Ripe, green apples are everywhere.
A series of adjectives are added (ripe and green) to describe the apples.

·         Children sing happily.
The subject-verb-adverb pattern can also use action verbs.

·         Children sing happily today.
Additional adverbs may be added to inform when.

·         Children in the choir sing happily today..
Prepositional phrases may be added to explain which children.