I hope you've watched the first part of
this lesson it's now time to study five
common sentence patterns how exactly
will knowledge of sentence patterns help
you is it worth learning I think so
first you can create a variety of
sentences and not be limited to one or
two patterns each time you speak or
write second you can more easily correct
sentences because you'll know how
sentences are built you understand the
parts of a clause and how they fit
together
lastly you'll have an easier time when
you read and come across long sentences
you'll be able to recognize clauses by
identifying the subject and the verb so
let's get started
learn about sentence structure in
English with Jennifer
the first pattern is the most basic one
subject + verb for example we relaxed
remember that verbs express an action or
state here are some longer examples of
this pattern I haven't been practicing
Henry and his friends are going to be
performing
the second pattern has one more element
subject + verb + object a direct object
for example they played music some verbs
take an object we call these transitive
verbs direct objects are objects of
verbs someone or something is acting
upon the object performing on the object
for example they played music played
what played music
so recall the first pattern with our
model sentence we relaxed there was no
object some verbs don't have an object
they don't need one
we call these intransitive verbs so we
have transitive and intransitive verbs
only transitive verbs have an object
here's a tip when you learn a new verb
pay attention to the grammar is it
transitive or intransitive a learner's
dictionary will tell you it will show
you whether that verb requires an object
but some verbs can have both meanings it
can be both transitive and intransitive
a verb you already know like that is
play the children are playing the
children played a game
here's a quick note on objects objects
are nouns or anything that behaves like
a noun this includes pronouns
gerunds could even be a whole clause but
that's for another lesson
both sentences subject verb and subject
verb object can add on one more unit
called an adverbial and adverbial can be
a single word a phrase it could even be
a whole clause an adverb clause but
that's for another lesson here's what
you need to know adverbials add
information this information answers
questions like where when why how which
includes other how questions like how
long how often how much
so our first pattern subject plus verb
can become subject + verb + adverbial
the children played into sand we're in
the sand
our second pattern subject + verb +
object can become subject + verb +
object + adverbial they sing songs last
night when last night we can have more
than one adverbial in a sentence and
adverbials aren't always in a final
position they sang songs on the beach
last night how many adverbials to wear
when watch this rewrite last night they
sing songs on the beach when you start
using more than one adverbial in a
sentence they usually follow an order
manner place time time usually goes last
but be careful not to make your
sentences too long and too wordy what I
understand is that some adverbials
are necessary and some are optional
let's look at some examples tom and his
two roommates live there the party
lasted till dawn I put my name on the
waiting list with these sentences make
sense if we took out the adverbials
no they're necessary
now look at these next two examples
people danced all night long I'd like
private lessons with Jennifer I'd argue
that these adverbials could be omitted
we'll talk more about terminology in a
couple minutes the third basic sentence
pattern has three parts subject + verb +
complement for example today was fun fun
is the complement and we could add an
optional adverbial to this pattern today
was fun as usual that subject + verb +
complement + adverbial
we talked about transitive and
intransitive verbs there's another group
of verbs we need to talk about linking
verbs have you heard of those linking
verbs linked or connect the subject to
an idea called the compliment
we need the complement to fully
understand the subject for example she's
an artist she's what an artist you seem
confused you seem like what you seem
confused
we need the compliments to complete the
idea to fully explain the subject
complements are very often nouns or
adjectives here's a list of common
linking verbs appear be become feel look
seen sound taste there are a few others
after these linking verbs you'll usually
see a noun phrase or an adjective phrase
but adverts and prepositional phrases
can also fit this sentence pattern she's
upstairs she's in her studio not
everyone agrees on labels we agree that
adverbs and prepositions are adverbials
but can adverbials be complements after
a linking verb I think so
but if the terminology is confusing then
just remember this we need subject plus
linking verb plus more information about
the subject that information is
necessary so we always need more
information about the subject after a
linking verb
subject compliments are only one type of
compliment let me quickly show you
another look at this example she was
excited about the party
what pattern does this sentence follow
well she was excited that subject + verb
+ complement excited is an adjective
it's a subject compliment about the
party is information that explains her
excitement it explains the adjective
it's an adjective compliment
so our sentence is now subject + verb +
compliment + compliment the first is a
subject complement that links to the
subject with a linking verb and then we
have an adjective complement directly
after the adjective so complements
define or fully explain another part of
the sentence adjectives complements are
very often prepositional phrases if
you'd like to learn more call occasions
like excited about and afraid of you can
watch my series of videos on
prepositions
our fourth sentence pattern has four
parts subject + verb + object + object
how do we have two objects well the
first is an indirect object the second
is a direct object it will be clearer
when you see an example indirect objects
often follow a preposition for example I
tell secrets to my friends to my friends
friends is the indirect object I sing
songs for the children for the children
children is the indirect object but with
some verbs we can drop the preposition
and move the indirect object so that it
comes between the verb and the direct
object the only time we can do that we
don't normally separate a verb from its
direct object we showed our cousin's a
good time what did you show a good time
that's the direct object who did we show
it to our cousins
that's the indirect object the indirect
object is often the one who receives the
action we showed our cousins a good time
indirect object direct object if I tell
you a secret what did I tell a secret -
who - you tell you a secret I sang her a
song sang her a song indirect object
direct object
the basic pattern is subject + verb +
object + object we can add an adverbial
look at these two examples we showed our
cousin's a really good time last weekend
subject + verb + object + object +
adverbial last weekend we showed our
cousin's a good time here we have the
adverbial at the beginning
we've talked about subject complements
and I've shown you adjectives
complements directly after an adjective
get ready for the fifth sentence pattern
it's subject + verb + object + object
compliment here's an example I consider
that the best trip ever the best trip
ever is the object compliment it
explains or defines the object it
directly follows it and I need that to
fully understand I consider that to be
what the best trip ever some sentences
require an object compliment like this
one here's a similar example we consider
him family consider him to be what we
consider him family here's a nice
example you make each day special you
make each day what special we need the
adjective we need that word as the
object compliment to explain the object
was it worth learning these patterns
well I want to show you the power of
this new knowledge let's try an exercise
I'll show you five sentences I want you
to find and correct the mistake in each
sentence I know you can do it
here's the first sentence what's wrong
with it
put is a transitive verb it needs an
object the sentence pattern should be
sentence verb object you put what on the
table you put it on the table you put
the vase on the table here's the second
sentence this sentence has no subject
the basic pattern should be subject verb
object
who makes the bus put in a subject this
morning I missed the bus here's the
third sentence this sentence is missing
a verb a linking verb the pattern is
subject verb complement let's put in a
verb music is a beautiful art form look
at the fourth sentence this sentence has
two objects and they're in the correct
order but if you put the indirect object
first you need to drop that preposition
the pattern is subject verb plus
indirect object plus object what's the
full sentence I sent her a thank you
note here's the fifth sentence this
one's more challenging can you figure
out the relationship of all these parts
identify the subject and the verb
this whole experience has made does the
verb have an object me has made me what
we need a compliment an object
compliment subject verb object and
object compliment has made me what a
better person remember the five basic
sentence patterns are subject verb
subject verb object subject verb
complement subject verb indirect object
plus direct object and sentence verb
object and object compliment and we can
add adverbials to these patterns I hope
you found this lesson useful that's all
for now thanks for watching and happy
studies remember to follow me on social
media all the links are on my youtube
channel