The Five Basic Sentence Patterns

There are five basic sentence patterns that can

be used to express your ideas. These patterns
serve as guides to arrange your various word
functions.

In the study of the basic patterns, there is a

need to distinguish a transitive verb from an
intransitive verb.
A transitive verb is an action verb that has an
object, while an intransitive verb is an action
verb that has no object.

Examples:
transitive verbs
play, watch, write, eat, drink

Intransitive verbs
swim, jump, walk, talk, smile
 Before we start, take note of the following
abbreviations:
S – subject
IV – intransitive verb
LV – linking verb
C – complement
TV – transitive verb
DO – direct object
IO – indirect object
OC – objective complement
1. S – IV subject – intransitive verb
Beth smiled (sweetly).
S IV adv

Maurice left (early).

S IV adv
2. S – LV – C
Subject – Linking Verb –
Complement

Jessica Zafra (is) my favorite writer.

S LV C

The chocolate cake (tastes) bitter.

S LV C – Predicate
adjective
3. S – TV – DO
Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct
Object
A super typhoon (hit) the country last week.
S TV DO
Jose called his girlfriend.
S TV DO
4. S –TV – IO –DO
Subject – Transitive Verb – Indirect
Object – Direct Object
Mary (taught) us English.
S TV IO DO

Mr. Guidotti (left) his children a great fortune.

S TV IO DO
5. S - TV - DO - OC
Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct
Object – Objective Complement
They (called) Kobe “The Black Mamba.”
S TV DO OC

I (left) the door open.

S TV DO OC
Exercise 1
Identify the pattern of each of the following
sentences.
1. “Hulk” is my favorite action hero.
2. Divine watched “The Hunger Games” with
her friends last week.
3. The news is true!
4. Everybody called him “The Flash.”
5. The teacher gave us a truckload of
homework.
Exercise 2
Construct a sentence for each pattern.

1. S – TV – DO
2. S – LV – C
3. S – TV – IO – D0
4. S – IV
5. S – TV – DO – OC
Exercise 3
Find 5 examples for each pattern from
newspaper articles.