Entry 3

English Basic Sentence Patterns.

1) Intransitive verbs. 

Recognize an intransitive verb when you see one.

An intransitive verb has two characteristics. First, it is an action verb, expressing a doable activity like arrive, go, lie, sneeze, sit, die, etc. Second, unlike a transitive verb, it will not have a direct object receiving the action.

Here are some examples of intransitive verbs:

• Huffing and puffing, we arrived at the classroom door with only seven seconds to spare.

Arrived = intransitive verb.

• James went to the campus cafe for a steaming bowl of squid eyeball stew.

Went = intransitive verb.

• To escape the midday sun, the cats lie in the shade under our cars.

Lie = intransitive verb.

• Around fresh ground pepper, Sheryl sneezes with violence.

Sneezes = intransitive verb.

• In the evenings, Glenda sits on the front porch to admire her immaculate lawn.

Sits = intransitive verb.

• Flipped on its back, the beetle that Clara soaked with insecticide dies under the refrigerator.

Dies = intransitive verb.

Pattern 1: N = Noun  V = Verb 

                                                      Intransitive Verbs. 

Examples: 

• They are studying hard for the tribunal exam.
• We are playing in front of the house. 
• Most children have already eaten a lot. 
• She sings beautifully. 
• They swam very well.  

2) Trasitive Verbs.

Recognize a transitive verb when you see one.

A transitive verb has two characteristics. First, it is an action verb, expressing a doable activity like kick, want, paint, write, eat, clean, etc. Second, it must have a direct object, something or someone who receives the action of the verb.

Here are some examples of transitive verbs:

• Sylvia kicked Juan under the table.

Kicked = transitive verb; Juan = direct object.

• Joshua wants a smile from Leodine, his beautiful but serious lab partner.

Wants = transitive verb; smile = direct object.

• Cornelius painted the canvas in Jackson Pollock fashion, dribbling bright colors from a heavily soaked brush.

Painted = transitive verb; canvas = direct object.

• Alicia wrote a love poem on a restaurant napkin.

Wrote = transitive verb; poem = direct object.

• Antonio eats lima beans drenched in brown gravy.

Eats = transitive verb; lima beans = direct object.

• Pinky the poodle cleans the dirty supper dishes with his tongue before Grandma loads the "prewashed" items into dishwasher.

Cleans, loads = transitive verbs; dishes, items = direct objects.

Important note: When no direct object follows an action verb, the verb is intransitive.

Pattern 2: N1 V N2 

                                                        Transitive Verbs. 

Examples: 

• The children have already eaten their breakfast. 
• We were playing cards with our friends. 
• They are studying grammar for the partial test. 
• Those lawyers insulted one another. 
• The girls greeded each other. 
• Jane saw herself in the mirror. 
• John hurt himself. 
• Peter cut himself with a knife. 

Pattern 3: Nx LV Nx 

                                    The nominal in the predicate is always subject complement (SC) 

LV= Linking verbs. 

Common Linking Verbs: Be, Become, Remain, Prove, Seem. 

Examples: 

• Most of them will become teachers. 
• His sons remained bachellors. 
• They are smart students. 
• Her answer was that she wouldn't do it. 
• The exam last week proved a success. 
• The doctor seemed a pilot in those clothes. 

Note: In sentences like: She seems to be a good girl. 

                                       He proved to be an exellent manager. 

The words "seems and proved" are auxiliaries. 

Pattern 4: N LV Adj. 

                                   The adjectival SC refers back to the nominal subject. 

Verbs used in this pattern: Taste, Smell, See, Look, Sound, Feel, Get, Appear, Seem, Be, Continue, Keep, Remain, Stay, Grow, Become, Turn, Go, Run, Lie. 

Examples: 

• They were tired and sick of their problems. 
• She became angry. 
• He grew tall and strong. 
• Albert remained single. 
• They looked happy. 
• The door was open. 
• The pot was broken. 
• Flowers smell delicious here. 
• The girl seemed intelligent.  

Pattern 5: N1 V N2 to/for N3.

                                               It can be transformed into N1 V N3 N2.

In this pattern we have: 

1. Give-class verb which accept the pattern transformation. They are verbs like:         

·         Give. 

·         Tell. 

·         Offer. 

·         Pay. 

·         Mail. 

·         Teach. 

·         Award. 

·         Read. 

·         Lend. 

·         Write. 

·         Grant. 

·         Hand. 

·         Send. 

·         Bring. 

·         Promise. 

·         Sell. 

·         Buy. 

·         Owe. 

·         Rent. 

·         Serve. 

·         Leave (in awill). 

·         Pass. 

·         Take. 

·         Cause. 

     2. Explain-class verbs which do not accept the pattern transformation. They are only used with the preposition "to". They are verbs like: 

• Explain. 
• Say. 
• Speak. 
• Repeat. 
• Announce. 
• Report. 
• Describe. 
• Mention. 
• Introduce. 
• Analyze. 
• Suggest. 
• Prove. 

Examples: 

• Explain that to me. 
• Prove your arguments to the audience. 
• Mention it to the police. 
• Describe the accident to us. 
• Analyze them to us. 

N1 V N2 to/for N3                                                    N1 V N2 N3

    3. Verbs of the "buy" class. 

        Some other verbs which accept this transformation are: Buy, Get, Find, Leave (a message), Save (a seat), Bake, Cook, Make, Fix, Do ( a favor). 

     4. Verbs of the "prescribe" class which do not accept this transformation are: Pronounce, Answer, Change, Cash, Prescribe, Open, Close. 

Pattern 6: N1 V N2x N3x 

                                        N3x is nominal object complement. 

This patter combines patterns 2 and 3. Some verbs used in this patter are: 

• Elect. 
• Nominate. 
• Consider. 
• Choose. 
• Select. 
• Make. 
• Find. 
• Leave. 
• Call. 
• Name. 
• Imagine. 
• Appoint. 
• Crown. 
• Pronounce. 
• Designate. 
• Label. 
• Vote. 
• Think. 
• Prove. 
• Declare. 
• Christen. 

Examples: 

• The students elected Elizabeth class president. 
• They nominated Mr. Clinton candidate for the presidency. 
• Most professors consider her an outstanding student. 
• He made his girlfriend a religious person. 
• They found their son an excellent architect. 
• She called him boss. 
• He pronounced them man and wife. 
• They designated him embassador in Australia. 

Pattern 7: N1 V N2 Adj. 

                            This adjectival refers to N2. This pattern is considered to be a combination of pattern 4 and 2: N1 V N2 + N LV Adj. 

Some verbs used with this pattern are: 

• Make. 
• Find. 
• Leave. 
• Pronounce. 
• Believe. 
• Think. 
• Label. 
• Call. 
• Name. 
• Elect. 
• Prove. 
• Declare. 
• Like. 
• Want. 
• Prefer. 
• Drink. 
• Eat. 
• Serve. 
• Wash. 
• Push. 

Examples: 

• He called her selfish. 
• He pronounced them dead. 
• They labeled the minister reactionary. 
• I like winter coats long. 
• She prefers her coffee black. 
• She made her husband religious. 
• He considered her attractive. 
• The war left this girl orphan. 
• The media painted the situation horrible. 
• We imagine his situation wonderful. 
• They painted their house dark.  
• She keeps her jewerly hidden. 
• The found the solution fair. 
• She called the thief stupid. 
• He always serves grapes fresh and moist. 
• He left his clothes dirty. 

Entry 3: 

1) I got this common custom to always say "shut" in order to avoid pronouncing a disrespectful word. If something bad comes up out of the blue, I say this word to express either my surprise or my anger. Once I remember writing an important, handwrite document when suddenly all the ink from the pen started to smear the paper. I couldn't help but screamed a loud "Shut!" that alerted my parents. My thought was that I had to write it again. However, I decided to start from the scratch but by computer. I didn't give second thoughts about it.  

2) I cannot count with my finders the times I have thought about going to Italy. It's one of my dreamest places. Since I was a child, I've been a huge fan of Italian culture. Italy is gorgeous and delightful. Even though is one of the expensives places in the world, I'm still wishing to travel. I love everything related with Italy; food, clothing, language, culture, traditions, celebrities, and so on. I just want to grow up and finally travel to this amazing country. 

3) Stephen King is a quite wonderful, terror writer. He has written many books for his fans. Although he doesn't like love novels, comedy or acction, he has explained that his area has always been terror, science fiction, supernatural, fantasy and mistery. Too many of his stories have been carried out to the cinema, making us feel part of his amazing narration. This man has a powerful imagination which takes advantage with his writing talent. The New York times cosider King the best writer in all XXI century. And, even with his 71 years, he still writing new experiences for the public. Many people wordship this old bean as a part of their reading life. 

Patter used: 

1) Nx LV Nx
2) N LV Adj
3) N1 V N2 for N3 
    N1 V N2x N3x