Sentence Patterns: Generating Sentences
Today in class, we looked at various patterns of sentences and you generated
sentences from these patterns. Here are some of the patterns, with the
sentences you generated and commentary. Sentences in red are PROBLEMS.
Test preparation instructions are at the end of this explanation.
1. Subject + Verb Phrase + Direct Object.
Barak Obama is a democrat.
Commentary: Not an appropriate sentence for this question -- the lexical
verb is “is” which is a linking verb. Linking verbs are not followed by
direct objects. What follows a linking verb is called a “subject
complement.” A subject complement can be a noun phrase or an adjective
phrase. In this case, it is a subject complement: noun phrase.
2. Subject + Verb Phrase + Adverbial Prepositional Phrase
Barak Obama is running for office in 2008.
Commentary: An okay, sentence, but not what is requested. This is a
different pattern: Subject (Barak Obama) + Verb Phrase (is running) + Verb
Complement (for office) + Adverbial Prepositional Phrase (in 2008).
3. Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject Complement: Noun Phrase + Adverbial
Noun Phrase.
Barak Obama remains a likely candidate in the US.
Commentary: This one is almost there – but the adverbial at the end is
NOT a noun phrase. It’s a prepositional phrase (in the US). Review the
material in the book (chapter 5). An adverbial noun phrase is basically just
that: a noun phrase that works as an adverbial. This could be changed to:
Barak Obama remains a likely candidate this week.
4. Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject Complement: Noun Phrase
Global warming is a problem.
Commentary: This is a good one!
5. Subject + Verb Phrase + Adverbial Prepositional Phrase
Global warming was ignored at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Commentary: Another good one!
6. Subject + Verb Phrase + Adverbial Prepositional Phrase
The beach volleyball team won in Greece.
Commentary: A good one!
7. Subject + Verb Phrase + Direct Object + Adverbial Prepositional Phrase
A member of the track team ran a steady race on the track.
Commentary: A good one!
8. Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject Complement: Noun Phrase + Adverbial
Noun Phrase
The torch carrier was a runner with no legs.
Commentary: Problems here. This is good right up until the last part “with
no legs” – which is definitely not an adverbial noun phrase. What it is is a
noun-modifying adjectival prepositional phrase that modifies “a runner” –
so it’s part of the giant noun phrase: a runner with no leg. It can’t be
separated (meaningfully) from the “a runner.” An adverbial stands alone
and does not modify a noun. It can often move around in a sentence. An
adverbial noun phrase is an adverbial that is just a noun phrase (e.g. last
week). This could be fixed by saying: Last week, the torch carrier was a
runner with no legs. (Note – adverbials can move around – it’s just
important to be sure they get into the sentence. It’s okay to put them at the
front of the sentence).
9. Subject + Verb Phrase + Indirect Object + Direct Object
Clinton promises voters national health care.
Commentary: Good job! As discussed in class, not all verbs can take both an
indirect object and a direct object. Both objects are noun phrases. One way to
tease them out of a sentence is to ask some questions: direct objects can often
be found by asking a what/who question using the subject and the verb: What
does Clinton promise voters? (National health care – direct object). Indirect
objects can often be found by trying to restate the noun phrase with a to/for
prepositional phrase. If that works, the noun phrase is probably an indirect
object: Clinton promises national health care to voters. Therefore in the
sentence Clinton promises voters national health care, the word voters is an
indirect object.
10. Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject complement: Adjective phrase + Adverbial
prepositional phrase.
Clinton appears unpresidential to some voters.
Commentary: Good job!
11. Subject + Verb Phrase + Direct Object + Verb Complement
Clinton will provide voters with national health care.
Commentary: Good job!
12. Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject Complement: Adjective Phrase +
Adverbial: Prepositional Phrase
John McCain seems perfect for the job according to the polls.
Commentary: Good job!
13. Subject + Verb Phrase + Direct Object + Object Complement
John McCain supports the Republican Party very well.
Commentary: This doesn’t fit the pattern requested. The problem is with
the phrase “very well” – which is an adverb phrase. It’s not an object
complement. Keep in mind that object complements tell you something
about the direct object – not the verb. Object complements can be either
adjective phrases or noun phrases – but not adverbs. Not all verbs can
take a pattern that allows for an object complement. Here’s a possible one:
John McCain considers the Iraq War a success.
HINT: If you want to test for an object complement that is a noun phrase,
try linking it to the direct object with the infinitive “to be” –
John McCain considers the Iraq War (to be) a success.
14. Subject + Verb Phrase + Direct Object + Adverbial: Noun Phrase
John McCain will be the next President of the US to continue the
Republican Party in office.
Commentary: There are a lot of problems with this sentence. The
problems start with the fact that the lexical verb is a form of “be” – and that
can’t take a direct object! This is a Subject + Verb Phrase + Subject
complement. There are also some other structures (a transitive infinitive
phrase) that we haven’t even covered in class. This latter is not an
adverbial noun phrase. Read the book carefully for ideas on what adverbial
noun phrases are! Here’s a possible rewrite: John McCain survived the
Vietnam War the hard way.
15. Subject + Verb Phrase + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Adverbial
Prepositional Phrase.
The trees give the animals a good environment in the summer.
Commentary: Good job!
16. Subject + verb Phrase + Subject complement: Adjective phrase
The environment is important.
Commentary: Good job!
17. Subject + Verb phrase + Direct Object + Verb Complement
The EPA provides us with ways to protect the environment.
Commentary: Good job!
Test Preparation: ½ of the quiz on Friday will be an opportunity for you to
generate sentences. You need to be conversant with the patterns we talked
about above. You also need to spend some serious time rereading Chapter 5.
Possible topics (I will select 1) will be:
A. The role of animals in our lives;
B. Vegetarianism;
C. Recycling
The other half of the test will be an analysis of some of these sentences. I’ll ask
questions (much like the ones on last week’s quiz) about some of these
sentences which are adapted from a New York Times article:
The Canadian government will declare a widely used chemical in plastic baby
products toxic
A person with knowledge of the chemical program spoke last week to a reporter.
According to him, the research on bisphenol-a was complete.
The study was recently endorsed by a panel of outside scientists.
A public announcement by Health Canada may happen Wednesday.
The announcement could be delayed until the end of May.
B.P.A., disrupts the hormonal systems of animals.
The Canadian decision was first reported in The Globe and Mail, a Toronto
newspaper, on Tuesday.