Basic Sentence Patterns
Subject + verb
The simplest of sentence patterns is composed of a subject and verb without a direct object or complement. It uses an intransitive verb, that is, a verb requiring no direct object:
- Control rods remain inside the fuel assembly of the reactor.
- The development of wind power practically ceased until the early 1970s.
- The cross-member exposed to abnormal stress eventually broke.
- Only two types of charge exist in nature.
Subject + verb + direct object
Another common sentence pattern uses the direct object:
- Silicon conducts electricity in an unusual way.
- The anti-reflective coating on the the silicon cell reduces reflection from 32 to 22 percent.
Subject + verb + indirect object + direct object
The sentence pattern with the indirect object and direct object is similar to the preceding pattern:
- I am writing her about a number of problems that I have had with my computer.
- Austin, Texas, has recently built its citizens a system of bike lanes.
Practice
Identify the basic sentence pattern of the sentences below:
- All amplitude-modulation (AM) receivers work in the same way.
- The supervisor mailed the applicant a description of the job.
- We have mailed the balance of the payment in this letter.
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