basic sentence patterns

A.Structure
Alzuhdy —© Yosa A. Alzuhdy - UNY
© Yosa
and
Sentence Patterns

Sentence
Patterns
English Sentences
© Yosa A. Alzuhdy, M.Hum.

Introductory Course
Yogyakarta State University
yosa@uny.ac.id

Sentence Patterns
2

Sentence Patterns and Structure

1.

SV (Subject+Verb)

Verb: ACTION (intransitive), no Object
2. SVC

(Subject+Verb+Complement

 Verb: NON-ACTION (nominal)
3. SVO

Each pattern can be followed
By ADVERBS (keterangan)

(Subject+Verb+Object)

 Vb: ACTION (transitive), with Obj (Noun)
4. SVO1O2

(Subject+Verb+Object1+Object2)

 Vb: ACTION transitive, O1 : Indirect Obj O2 : Direct
Obj
5. Expletive

THERE (THERE + BE + NOUN)
6. Impersonal IT (IT + Verb+ … // Subject +Verb+IT …)
7. IMPERATIVE (Verb/Be …); Positive or Negative

ADVERBS
3

Sentence Patterns and Structure

Adverb : keterangan  menjelaskan verb, adjective,
adverb,
Sebagian besar Adverb = Adjective+ly
She is a careful student. menjelaskan bagaimana ia sbg
student)

She always does the exercises carefully.  menjelaskan
bagaimana cara dia mengerjakan latihan tsb.

It was an extreme situation. (situasinya yang ekstrim)
Last night the weather was extremely cold. (dinginnya yg
ekstrim)

It is really a beautiful bridge. (jembatannya sangat indah)
It’s really a beautifully constructed bridge.(jembatan yg
dibangun dengan sangat indah hasil membangunnya
sangat indah, hebat)

Adverbs: modify Vb/Adj/Adv
4

Sentence Patterns and Structure

 Adverb of Time
: when something happens/happened
 Adverb of Frequency : how frequently something

happens/happened

 Adverb of Place

: where/in what direction an action

occurs/occurred







Adverb
Adverb
Adverb
Adverb
Adverb

of
of
of
of
of

Degree: to what extent an action occurs/occurred
Manner
: how something is/was done
Sequence : in what order things occur/occurred
Result
: the result or effect of an action
Contrast
: an idea which is either in contrast to a

preceding
one or different from the expected one
 Adverb of Reason
: the reason or cause of an action

Sebagian besar Adverb = Adjective+ly (: adverb of
manner)
bad- badly
interesting-interestingly
quick-quickly
slow-slowly happy-happily
true-truly

Adverbs of Frequency
5

Sentence Patterns and Structure

Adverb of Frequency (AF): seberapa sering sesuatu dilakukan
Definite AF – di awal kalimat (dg koma) atau akhir kalimat
(langsung).
once a week, every month, twice a year, every other
day…
Every Tuesday afternoon, they went to the library.
They went to the library every Tuesday afternoon.

Indefinite AF – letaknya: setelah auxiliary yang pertama.
bila tidak ada auxiliary, di antara Subject dan Verb.
always, usually, sometimes, often, seldom, rarely,
never…
They should always read the contract before they start the
project.
She is often late on Mondays.

Sentence Patterns 1: SV
6

Sentence Patterns and Structure

Subject + Verb [+ Adverb ]  using Intransitive
Verb
They
stopped.
––––––––– ––––––––––––––

Showing activities/action She

without
object
was sleeping
last night.
Subj
Verb
S
Vb
Adv
Marina
is
not
crying.
––––––-––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––
He works in this office.
Subject
Verb
S Vb
Adv
Some

of
the
students
will
graduate
next
year.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––
Subject

Verb

Adverb

The
new secretary of this company must have registered before.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––
Subject

Verb

Adverb

Check the S-V Pattern.

.

1. The
girl––––––––
screamed
loudly.
–––––––
–––––
Subject

Verb

Adverb

2. Somebody

in this class
came
from North Sumatera.
––––––––––-–––––-–––––––––––––––-–––-––––––
Subject

Verb

Adverb

3. ––––––––––––-–––All of the lecturers
must have graduated
from undergraduate
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––---––––––––––––
Subject

Verb

Adverb

Sentence Patterns 2:
SVC

7

Subject + Verb + Complement [+ Adverb ]
Sentence Patterns and Structure

Verb  to be : is, am, are, was, were, must be, has been …
or Linking Verbs :
become,look,seem,appear,taste,sound,feel,get …
The VERBS are STATIVE, showing situation/condition, NOT
activities.
He works in this office.
Complement: Adjective, Noun/Noun Phrase,
S Vb
Adv
Adverb/Prep.Phrase.
He is in this office.
???
S V
C:Adv
She is an architect.

.

…

–––––––

Subj

–––

Vb

–––––––––-––––––––––––

Complement (Noun)

…

The
woman seemed
upset all day long.
–--–––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––-––– ???
––––--–––––– ––--––––––––––––––––––
Subject

Verb

Comp (Adj)

Adverb

Our
rector is from the Faculty of Education.
–––––––––––––––––––– ––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Subject

Vb

Complement (Prepositional Phrase)

The
boys are new students of Yogyakarta State University.
–––––––––––––––– ––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Subject

Verb

Complement (Noun Phrase)

.

Her
former manager was rich, young, and handsome.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Subject

Verb



Complement (Adjective Phr)

Sentence Patterns 3:
SVO

8

Sentence Patterns and Structure

Subject : Nouns / Noun Phrase / Noun Clause
Verb : Verb / Verb phrase / Verb + Complement
Object
: Nouns / Noun Phrase / Noun Clause
Adverb
: Adverb of Frequency, Manner, Place, Time, Purpose, etc.

She is an architect.
S Vb C: Noun
She met an architect.
S Vb
Obj

The store sells many things.
article

noun

verb

Subj

adjective

Vb

noun

.

Obj

My aunt always makes delicious cakes for Lebaran day.
adj

noun

Subj

adverb_

verb

adjective ___ noun

Adv

Vb

Obj

prep

noun

noun .

Adv

A group of small children followed us.
art

noun

prep

adj

noun

Subj

verb

pronoun .

Vb

Obj

They have been discussing the technical problems since 8 o’clock in the morning.
pron

V-aux V-aux

Subj

verb

Vb
.

art

adjective

Obj

noun

conj adj

noun prep art

Adv

noun

.

Sentence Pattern 4:
SVO1O2

9

Sentence Patterns and Structure

1. The students ask the teacher many questions.
S
V
O1
O2
2. The patient in the next room told us the story of her life.
S
V O1
O2
3. All the participants of the conference gave the chairman useful
suggestions.
S
V
O1
O2
4. Walking in the park gives us friendship and fun.
S
V O1
O2
The basic form of sentences above can be extended with the Adverbs
Adding adverb to the sentences above: (examples):


The students ask the teacher many questions during the ask-andanswer session.



The patient in the next room told us the story of her life every
morning.



All the participants of the conference gave the chairman useful
suggestions for the betterment of the concept of autonomy.



Every time we feel lonely, walking in the park gives us friendship

10

Sentence Pattern 4:
SVO1O2

Sentence Patterns and Structure

1. The students ask the teacher many questions.
S
V
O1
O2
2. The patient in the next room told us the story of her life.
S
V O1
O2
3. All the participants of the conference gave the chairman useful
suggestions.
S
V
O1
O2
4. Walking in the park gives us friendship and fun.
S
V O1
O2
The sentences above can also be expressed in different form: S-VO-Adv.
1. The students ask many questions to the teacher.
2. The patient in the next room told the story of her life to us.
3. All the participants of the conference gave useful suggestions to
the chairman.
4. Walking in the park gives friendship and fun for us.

Sentence Pattern 5: There +

be

11

Sentence Patterns and Structure

EXPLETIVE THERE
(There yang tidak berfungsi sebagai keterangan tempat ,
diterjemahkan menjadi Ada atau Terdapat. Subject  NOUN
stlh tobe)
There + tobe + NOUN + to infinitive / participial phrase /
adj.clause.
But: * There + Verb + Noun  = Noun + Verb + there (Adv of
Place)

There is one study program here receiving the IMHERE grant.
There are seven points to consider in proposing the award.
There were five students absent in our last week’s meeting.
There was only one person who could do all the assignments
correctly.
There must be some other ways to answer the difficult
question.
There have been many books provided in the library to learn.

Sentence Pattern 6: Impersonal
12

IT

Sentence Patterns and Structure

IMPERSONAL IT
(Pronoun It yang tidak merujuk ke sesuatu apa pun,
sehingga tidak perlu diterjemahkan  bisa sbg Subject
atau Object)
> It + tobe/linking Vb + Adj + (for Object) to
infinitive.
that clause.
> It + Verb + Object + to infinitive.
> Subject + Verb + it + Adjective + to infinitive.
that clause.
It is unnecessary for us to memorize all the words in a
dictionary.
It is urgent that we follow the procedure correctly.
It took two months to finish the project.
It needs more than 10 people to move the box into the

Sentence Pattern 7:

Imperatives

13

Sentence Patterns and Structure

Positive:
(Command)

INFINITIVE
BE + (NOMINAL) , please

Keep silent, please.
Please come on time.
Be here before 9.30.
Do the exercise at least three times a day.
Negative:
(Prohibition)

DON’T INFINITIVE
NEVER BE + (NOMINAL)

+
Don’t stay too long in that room.

, please

Never say that again, please.
Please don’t be noisy, I’m studying here.
Never leave your motorcycle unlocked.