See also Sentence types.
Sentence patterns in English refer to the ways in which words are structured within a sentence to convey meaning. These patterns follow certain grammatical rules and conventions. Here are some common sentence patterns along with explanations:
- SVO (Subject-Verb-Object):
- Example: “She (subject) likes (verb) coffee (object).”
- Explanation: In this pattern, the subject performs the action on the object. It’s one of the most common sentence structures in English.
- SV (Subject-Verb):
- Example: “They (subject) swim (verb).”
- Explanation: This pattern consists of a subject and a verb without a direct object. It conveys a simple action or a state of being.
- SVC (Subject-Verb-Complement):
- Example: “He (subject) is (verb) a doctor (complement).”
- Explanation: This pattern includes a subject, a linking verb, and a complement that renames or describes the subject.
- SVOO (Subject-Verb-Object-Object):
- Example: “She (subject) gave (verb) him (indirect object) a book (direct object).”
- Explanation: This pattern involves a subject, a verb, an indirect object (recipient or beneficiary), and a direct object (the thing acted upon.
- SVOC (Subject-Verb-Object-Complement):
- Example: “The cake (subject) tastes (verb) delicious (complement).”
- Explanation: This pattern includes a subject, a verb, a direct object, and a complement that describes the direct object.
- SVOA (Subject-Verb-Object-Adjective):
- Example: “The flowers (subject) made (verb) the room (object) colorful (adjective).”
- Explanation: This pattern involves a subject, a verb, a direct object, and an adjective that describes the object.
- SVIO (Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Object):
- Example: “He (subject) gave (verb) his sister (indirect object) a gift (direct object).”
- Explanation: This pattern consists of a subject, a verb, an indirect object, and a direct object. The indirect object usually receives the direct object.
- SVCA (Subject-Verb-Complement-Adjective):
- Example: “The movie (subject) seems (verb) interesting (complement) to me (adjective).”
- Explanation: This pattern includes a subject, a linking verb, a complement, and an adjective that describes the complement.
