Basic Sentence Structure

There are five basic patterns around which most

English sentences are built.* They are as
follows:
S-V

Subject-Verb

John sleeps.

Jill is eating.

Jack will arrive next
week.
S-V-O

Subject-Verb-Object

I like rice.

She loves her job.

He's eating an orange.
S-V-Adj

Subject-Verb-Ajective

He is !unn".

#he workers are la$".

%aren see&s angr".
S-V-Adv

Subject-Verb-Averb

Ji& is here.

'lowers are ever"where.

(o one was there.
S-V-N

Subject-Verb-(oun

She is &" &o&.

#he &en are octors.
)r. Jones is the teacher.
At the heart o! ever" *nglish sentence is the Subject-Verb relationship. Other ele&ents
can be ae to &ake a sentence &ore interesting+ but the" are not essential to its
!or&ation.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
pattern.
She sleeps.

,ore sentence
She sleeps sounl".

An averb is ae to escribe how she sleeps.
She sleeps on the so!a.

A prepositional phrase is ae to tell where she
sleeps.
She sleeps ever" a!ternoon.

A ti&e expression is ae to tell when she sleeps.
She is sleeping right now.

Verb tense is change+ but S-V relationship re&ains
the sa&e.
)ar" will sleep later.

Subject is na&e an another tense is use.
#he ogs are sleeping in the
garage.

(ew subject &a" re-uire a i!!erent !or& o! the verb.
Note: An" action verb can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-! pattern.
#he" like rice.

,ore sentence
#he people like rice.

Speci!ic subject
#he !rienl" people like rice.

Subject &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people in the restaurant like
rice.

Subject &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people like boile rice.

Object &oi!ie with an ajective
#he people like hot+ white rice.

Object &oi!ie with &ore than one ajective
Note: Onl" transitive action verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-"d# pattern.
He is !ine.

.asic sentence with /be/ verb
He see&s happ".

.asic sentence with another linking verb
Joran is tall+ ark an
hanso&e.

Series o! ajectives
He appears ver" co&!ortable.

Averb or intensi!ier ae
0eorge beca&e sick last night.

1i!!erent tense an linking verb
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-"dv pattern.
#he teacher is here.

.asic sentence
#he teacher is over there.

2sing an averb phrase
#eachers are ever"where.

3lural noun an verb use
#he teachers are in the lobb".

3repositional phrase !unctioning as averb
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
The following sentences are examples of the S-
-$ pattern.
#he &an is a octor.

.asic sentence
#he wo&en are octors.

2sing plural noun an verb
)" !ather is a nice gu".

)oi!ie subject an co&ple&ent
)" granparents are senior
citi$ens.

)oi!ie plural subject an co&ple&ent
Note: Onl" linking verbs can be use with this sentence pattern.
4Other+ less co&&on structures are ealt with in another unit.