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Verb Patternsand the Be PatternsEd McCorduckEnglish 402--GrammarSUNY Cortland http://mccorduck.cortland.edu

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Our analysis of sentence structure will be based on the assumption that there exist certain specific sentence patterns. The pattern of any given sentence will be said to derive from whatever its main verb is, i.e., each verb requires the sentence that it anchors to be in a specific pattern.

slide 2: verbs and sentence patternsEnglish 402: Grammar

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There are a limited number of sentence patterns, and these patterns can be grouped into four main sentence pattern categories:

be patternslinking verb patternsintransitive verb patterntransitive verb patterns

slide 3: four sentence pattern categoriesEnglish 402: Grammar

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the be patterns

Pattern I

NPbeADV/TP(subj)(pred vb)(adverbial of time or place)

Stated plainly, sentences of this pattern feature a noun phrase subject, any form of the verb be functioning as a predicating verb and an element that serves as an adverbial of time or place.

Note: All the patterns and the accompanying codes/abbreviations used in describing them come directly from our textbook Understanding English Grammar. As in our text, (subj) stands for the subject role and (pred vb) means that the verb (in this pattern be, under which the code occurs) functions as a predicating verb.

slide 4: the be patterns: Pattern IEnglish 402: Grammar

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exx (words/phrases serving as the elements of this pattern are separated by |)

George | is | early.The books | were | in the library. Our teams games | have been | on Fridays.

slide 5: examples of Pattern I sentencesEnglish 402: Grammar

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slide 6: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a Pattern I sentenceEnglish 402: GrammarHere is a Reed-Kellogg diagram of George is early showing how in sentences of this pattern the adverbial of time or place is placed below the verb as a modifier on a slanted line:

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slide 7: prepositional phrasesEnglish 402: GrammarThe example sentence The books were in the library features a prepositional phrase (a.k.a. a PP). Prepositional phrases are headed by a preposition, i.e., a little word like in, at or through, that governs a noun phrase. In Reed-Kellogg diagrams, a prepositional phrase is diagrammed as a unit in which the preposition is on a slanted line below the predicate part of the main line, and this slanted line connects to a line parallel to the main line on which is placed the headword of the noun phrase, and any modifiers of the head noun go below it on slanted lines. For example, following is the diagram of The books were in the library in which in the library is a prepositional phrase serving as an adverbial of place:

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slide 8: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a Pattern I sentence with a PP ADV/TPEnglish 402: Grammar

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Pattern II

NPbeADJ(subj)(pred vb)(subj comp)

(subj comp) is subject complement

slide 9: the be patterns: Pattern IIEnglish 402: Grammar

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exx

George | is | dorky.The teacher | will be | very annoyed. The art world | has been | in a tizzy.

slide 10: examples of Pattern II sentencesEnglish 402: Grammar

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slide 11: Reed-Kellogg diagrams with complementsEnglish 402: GrammarIn Reed-Kellogg diagrams, complements go on the main line after the predicating verb and are separated from it by a slanted line. Here is the diagram of George is dorky where the adjective dorky functioning as a subject complement (i.e., it refers to the subject of the sentence George) comes after the verb is:

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slide 12: prepositional phrases as subject complementsEnglish 402: GrammarWhen the subject complement is a prepositional phrase as in the example The art world is in a tizzy, the prepositional phrase is put on top of a vertical line with a forked tail (I think the thing looks like a rocket) which connects to the main line and comes after a slanted line like any other complement. To illustrate, here is the diagram of The art world is in a tizzy where in a tizzy is a prepositional phrase functioning as subject complement:

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slide 13: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a sentence with a PP subj compEnglish 402: Grammar

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Pattern III

NP1be NP1(subj)(pred vb)(subj comp)

NP1 means that the noun phrase refers to the same entity as some other noun phrase in the same sentence, which is also designated NP1.

slide 14: the be patterns: Pattern IIIEnglish 402: Grammar

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exx

Peter | is | the village idiot.That chick | was | a babe. Members of the gang | had been | fugitives

slide 15: examples of Pattern III sentencesEnglish 402: Grammar

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slide 16: NP1s vs. NP2sEnglish 402: Grammarcompare

Professor Mendez is my math teacher. NP1 NP1

Professor Mendez killed my math teacher. NP1 NP2

i.e., in the second sentence the noun phrases Professor Mendez and my math teacher cannot refer to the same person, these NPs therefore having different indexes

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slide 17: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a Pattern III sentenceEnglish 402: GrammarNoun phrase subject complements are diagramed like other complements, namely after slanted lines on the main line after the verb. As an example, here is the diagram of Peter is an idiot:

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