Sentence Patterns & Clause Combinations

Understanding Sentence Patterns

Sentence patterns in English refer to the typical structures that sentences follow. They help us understand how different parts of a sentence fit together.

Basic Sentence Patterns

• Subject + Verb (SV): This pattern includes a subject followed by a verb. For example: "She runs."
• Subject + Verb + Object (SVO): This pattern includes a subject, a verb, and an object. For example: "He reads a book."
• Subject + Verb + Complement (SVC): This pattern includes a subject, a verb, and a complement that describes the subject. For example: "The sky is blue."
• Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (SVIODO): This pattern includes a subject, a verb, an indirect object, and a direct object. For example: "She gave him a gift."
• Subject + Verb + Object + Complement (SVOC): This pattern includes a subject, a verb, an object, and a complement that describes the object. For example: "They elected him president."

Clause Combinations

Clauses are groups of words that contain a subject and a verb. They can be combined to form complex sentences.

Types of Clauses

• Independent Clause: A complete sentence that can stand alone. Example: "I enjoy reading."
• Dependent Clause: Cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause. Example: "Although I enjoy reading..."

Combining Clauses

• Compound Sentences: Combine two independent clauses using a conjunction (e.g., and, but, or). Example: "I enjoy reading, and I love writing."
• Complex Sentences: Combine an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses. Example: "Although I enjoy reading, I don't have much time for it."
• Compound-Complex Sentences: Combine multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause. Example: "I enjoy reading, and I love writing, although I don't have much time for it."