This document discusses six common sentence patterns in English: 1) Subject + Verb 2) Verb + Subject 3) Subject + Verb + Direct Object 4) Subject + Verb + Complement 5) Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object 6) Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement It provides examples and explanations of each pattern. Exercises at the end ask the reader to identify which pattern is used in sample sentences.

1. SENTENCE PATTERNS

2. "Sentence patterns" is just another way talk about the way a sentence
is put together; the order of the elements in the sentence; sentence
construction. Some sources say there are six English sentence
patterns; some say eight. A few sources list even more. Here are the
ones we feel are the most common, and the easiest to recognize:
SENTENCE PATTERNS
1. Subject (S) + Verb (V)
2. V + S (V-S)
3. Subject + Verb + Direct Object
4. Subject + Verb + Complement
5. Subject + Verb + Indirect
Object + Direct Object
6. Subject + Verb + Direct Object
+ Object Complement

3. 1. Subject + Verb (S-V)
This is the simplest kind of sentence.
It consists of a subject, a verb, and
possibly some adjectives,
adverbs, or prepositional phrases.
There are no direct objects,
indirect objects, or complements.
Examples:
1. Abraham speaks fluently.
S V Adv
2. The girls are in the kitchen.
S V PP

4. 2. Verb + Subject (V-S)
Sentences in English usually have the subject come first, followed by the verb.
But when a sentence begins with there is, there was, there are, there were,
the verb comes first, followed by the subject. The word There is never a subject!
Examples:
1. There is a strange shadow in the woods.
V S
2. There were no leftovers after the buffet.
V S

5. 3. Subject + Verb + Direct Object (S-V-DO)
Examples:
Andrew composes music.
S V DO
Matthew helps others in several English practice rooms.
S V DO
Helen tells jokes to make people smile.
S V DO

6. 4. Subject + Verb + Complement (S-V-SC)
A complement is a word or group of words that describe or rename the subject.
Complements follow a linking verb.
There are two kinds of subject complements:
1) predicate nominative (PN), which is a noun or pronoun that renames the subject of the sentence
2) predicate adjective (PA), which is an adjective that describes the subject of the sentence.
1. Mother looks tired.
S V SC (PA)
2. Some students are engineers.
S V SC (PN)
3. The men are cute, and the women are clever
S V SC (PA) S V SC (PA)

7. 5. Subject + Verb + Indirect Object +
Direct Object (S-V-IO-DO)
An indirect object tells for whom or to whom. If the indirect object comes
after the direct object (in a prepositional phrase "to ________" or "for
_______"), the sentence pattern is shown as S-V-DO-IO. Pronouns are
usually used as indirect objects (but not always).
Examples:
1. I sent her a birthday present.
S V IO DO
2. Jay gave his dog a bone.
S V IO DO
3. Granny left Gary all of her money.
S V IO DO

8. 6. Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object
Complement (S-V-DO-OC)
This pattern isn't as common as the others, but it is used.
An object complement is a word or group of words that
renames, describes, or classifies the direct object.
Object complements are nouns or adjectives and follow the object.
Examples:
1. Debbie left the window open during the rain storm.
S V DO OC
2. The class picked Susie class representative.
S V DO OC

9. Exercises
Find the correct Sentence Patterns from the sentences below
1. Jennifer baked for weeks before the holidays.
2. Brad looks very handsome in his new sweater.
3. There was a strange sound from the cellar.
4. A jockey rides racehorses until he gets too old or too heavy.
5. Aunt Anna gave Marty some cookies.
6. The teacher called Robbie class clown.
7. There is some money in his pocket.
8. Sam paints portraits, not walls!
9. All of the members of the band and their manager seem happy.
10. Ronny and his friends are playing well.

10. References
 Grammar 1 Module, Iis Kurnia, M.Hum
 A Studentst’s English Grammar Workbook;
Chalker, Sylvia
 Fundamentals of English Grammar; Azar, Betty
Schrampfer