SENTENCE PATTERNS
STRIPES
L. NABULSI
Six Sentence Patterns
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S- V
Subject –Verb
S-V-O Subject – Verb – Object
S-V-I-O Subject–Verb–Indirect Object-Object
S-V-O-C Subject-Verb-Object –Complement
S-V-N Subject– Verb – Noun (Predicate noun)
S-V-A Subject-Verb-Adjective (Predicate
adjective)
S- V
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Subject –Verb
He believes.
He believes in himself.
Tom is going.
If Tom will study, he will pass.
S-V-O
Subject – Verb – Object
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The boy hit the ball.
The dog jumped the fence
The halfback scored a touchdown.
S-V-I-O
Subject–Verb–Indirect ObjectObject
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S
V
IO
DO
The team gave the coach flowers.
S V
IO DO
The coach presented the team trophies.
S V IO
DO
I gave mom a watch for Christmas.
Doer – subject
Action – verb (Must be an action verb)
Receiver of the action – Direct object
Receiver of the direct object – Indirect object
S-V-O-C
Subject-Verb-Object –Complement
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S
V
DO C
Jacob painted his room yellow.
Subject – doer
Verb – action
Direct object – receiver of action
Complement – completes action
Ask: What is the action? Painted
Who did the action? Jacob
Jacob painted what? Room
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Jacob painted room what? Yellow
Yellow is an adjective functioning as a noun.
S-V-N
Subject– Verb – Noun
(Predicate noun)
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S
V(LINKING) PN
George Bush is President.
The verb has to be a linking verb
S
S
V PN
McCain and Obama are candidates.
This sentence has a compound (more than one)
subject with the linking verb of being, are.
The subject equals the predicate noun.
S-V-A
Subject-Verb-Adjective
(Predicate adjective)
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S V A
Carol is beautiful. (Not beautiful Carol, but refers to Carol)
S V A
Jason is intelligent.
S
S V A
Sue and Mart are athletic.
S V
A
That cake smells good. (Sensory verbs needs an adjective, not an adverb. That cake smells
well-nah))
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S V A
I feel bad about the accident.
PARTS OF A SENTENCE
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SIMPLE SUBJECT – NOUN OR PRONOUN
THAT TELLS THE WHAT OF THE
SENTENCE
SIMPLE PREDICATE – THE VERB GIVES
THE ACTION OR LINKS WORDS
COMPLEMENT – A NOUN OR ADJECTIVE
THAT COMPLETES THE SUBJECT AND
THE VERB
SIMPLE SUBJECT
JUST THE NOUN OR THE PRONOUN
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CAR
PLANT
HE
BIKES
THOMAS
KERI
THESE WORDS TELL THE WHAT IN A
SENTENCE
COMPLETE SUBJECT
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THE COMPLETE SUBJECT INCLUDES
THE SIMPLE SUBJECT – GIRLS
PLUS
THE MODIFIERS OF THE SUBJECT
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SINGLE WORD ADJECTIVES -TWO
ADJECTIVE PHRASES-OF THE SIXTH
GRADERS
APPOSITIVES-TALL AND WANTING TO PLAY
BALL
COMPLETE SUBJECT
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Modifiers
+
simple subject
THE RED SLEEK CAR
THE TALL, GREEN DELICATE PLANT
HE WITH THE GENTLE SMILE
SIX BLACK AND GOLD MOUNTAIN BIKES
THOMAS
KARI, SHORT AND SPUNKY,
WHAT OBSERVATION CAN YOU MAKE ABOUT
WHAT SUBJECTS CAN OR CANNOT HAVE
MODIFIERS?
ADJECTIVES
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ADJECTIVES FUNCTION AS MODIFIERS
OF NOUNS AND PRONOUNS
WHICH ONE
WHAT KIND
HOW MANY
WHOSE
COLOR
PREDICATE VERB
SIMPLE VERB
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SPEEDS
GROWS
SEES
SELL
WALKED
DANCES
COMPLETE PREDICATE
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THE COMPLETE PREDICATE IS THE
VERB PLUS THE ADVERBIAL
MODIFIERS and INDIRECT AND DIECT
OBJECTS AND THEIR COMPLEMENTS
WHEN
WHERE
HOW
WHY
TO WHAT EXTENT
COMPLETE PREDICATE
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Verb + modifiers
SPEEDS AROUND THE CURVE (where)
GROWS VERY SLOWLY (how)
SEES WITH HIS HEART (how)
SOLD FOR $200 EACH ON FRIDAY. (How much
and when)
WALKS TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY BY HIMSELF
(where and how)
DANCES WITH GREAT ENERGY EVERY NIGHT
(how and when)
TYPES OF VERBS
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ACTION VERBS
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OFTEN TRANSFER THE ACTION FROM THE SUBJECT TO THE
DIRECT OBJECT
Tobi hit the ball. SVO
Tobi had sat on the bench for a long time. SV
Tobi threw Carver a curve ball. SVIO
Tobi painted the town red to celebrate. SVOC
LINKING VERBS
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Links one noun to either another equal noun or an adjective that goes back to
modify the subject noun.
VERBS OF BEING – am, is, are,was, were, be, being, been
LINKING SENSORY VERBS – smells, looks, feels, sounds, tastes,
GENERAL LINKING VERBS – elected, became, seemed, named
Tobi is captain of the team. SVN
Tobi is so tall. SVA
Examples of each sentence
pattern and sentences you
are to create
SUBJECT - VERB
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THE RED SLEEK CAR SPEEDS AROUND THE CURVE
THE TALL, GREEN DELICATE PLANT GROWS VERY
SLOWLY
HE WITH THE GENTLE SMILE SEES WITH HIS HEART.
SIX BLACK AND GOLD MOUNTAIN BIKES SOLD FOR
$200 EACH ON FRIDAY.
THOMAS WALKS TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY BY
HIMSELF
KARI, SHORT AND SPUNKY, DANCES WITH GREAT
ENERGY EVERY NIGHT
SUBJECT- VERB
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CAR
PLANT
HE
BIKES
THOMAS
KARI
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SPEEDS
GROWS
SEES
SELL
WALKED
DANCES
SV
CREATE A SENTENCE
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ALLIGATORS DO WHAT?
LAMPS DO WHAT?
DOORS DO WHAT?
PLAYERS DO WHAT?
STUDENTS DO WHAT?
HORSES DO WHAT?
TELEVISION DO WHAT?
SV
CREATE A SENTENCE
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WHO
WHO
WHO
WHO
WHO
WHO
WHO
WHO
REACTS
CREATES
BUILDS
KNOWS
JUMPS
DEVELOPS
VIDEOS
WORKS
Sentence Pattern Five
SVN
SUBJECT-VERB/LINKINGCOMPLEMENT(PREDICATE
NOMINATIVE)
SUBJECTS
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The same rules apply to the subject
The subject tells who or what of a sentence.
The sentence creates an equation: Noun = Noun
Car =
Plant =
He =
Bikes =
Thomas =
Kari =
SVN (and SNA) NEEDS LINKING
VERBS
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AM
IS
ARE
WAS
WERE
BE
BEING
BEEN
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NAME
SMELL
ELECTED
BECOME
LOOK
SOUND
FEEL
OFTEN PASSIVE FORM:
WAS NAMED,
WAS ELECTED,
A NOUN RENAMES THE
SUBJECT AND MUST BE A NOUN
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THE CAR IS A _______________________.
THE PLANT IS A _____________________.
HE WAS ELECTED THE _______________.
THE BIKES ARE THE _________________.
THOMAS BECAME THE ______________.
KARI WAS NAMED __________________.
COMPOSE SENTENCES
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____N_______ IS A ________N__________.
____N_______ WAS THE ___N__________.
____N______HAS BEEN NAMED __N____.
____N_______WILL BE ELECTED _N____.
____N_______CAN BECOME _____N____.
____N______ AM _______________N_____.
____N______ WERE _____________N____.
Sentence Pattern 6
SVA
Subject-verb/linking-adjective
(predicate adjective)
SUBJECTS are DESCRIBED
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The same rules apply to the subject
The subject tells who or what of a sentence.
The verb must be a linking verb.
The complement must be an adjective.
The sentence creates a description.
Car is ________________(adjective).
Plant smells _____________ (adjective).
He became ____________(adjective).
Bikes look ______________(adjective).
Thomas sounds _________(adjective).
Kari feels ______________(adjective).
CONVERT TO SVA
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THE RED SLEEK CAR The car is red and sleek.
THE TALL, GREEN DELICATE PLANT
HE WITH THE GENTLE SMILE
SIX BLACK AND GOLD MOUNTAIN BIKES
THOMAS
KARI, SHORT AND SPUNKY,
WHAT OBSERVATION CAN YOU MAKE ABOUT
WHAT SUBJECTS CAN OR CANNOT HAVE
MODIFIERS?
Ask Questions
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This PowerPoint is meant to help you learn
and understand the six different sentence
patterns. Can you diagram these patterns?
Just remember to ask the right questions in the
right order.