Transcript Sentence Patterns IV and V

Sentence Patterns IV
and V
The Linking Verb Patterns
Sentence Pattern IV
IV—

V-lnk
ADJ
This is similar to what pattern?
V—

NP
NP1
V-lnk
NP1
This is similar to what pattern?
Linking Verbs are:
All verbs other than be completed by a
subject complement –

A subject complement is…
an adjectival or a noun phrase that describes,
characterizes, or identifies the subject.
Pattern IV:
The linking verbs of the senses are
often pattern IV.


Taste, smell, feel, sound, and look often
link an adjective to the subject.
Other verbs that may be included in this
list are seem, appear, become, get, prove,
remain, and turn.
Pattern IV:
The ADJ in the third slot is a subject
complement.
It describes the NP in the first slot.
Sometimes prepositional phrases can
function as adjectives.
Pattern IV Examples:
The dinner smells good.

“good” describes “the dinner”
Max looks sick.

“sick” describes “Max”
More Pattern IV Examples:
The lacrosse team seems out of shape.


“out of shape” describes “the lacrosse
team”
We could say, “The lacrosse team seems
talented.” Since “talented” is an adjective,
so is the phrase “out of shape;” we call it
an adjectival – or an adjectival
prepositional phrase.
Pattern V:
Very few linking verbs fit this pattern;
Most of them take only adjectivals as
subject complements.


Become and remain are the two most
common.
Seem may also take a noun phrase rather
than its usual adjectival on rare occasions.
Pattern V
An NP fills the subject complement slot
following the linking verb in this
sentence.
Both NPs have the same referent.
Pattern V
Sometimes the NP in the first slot is just a
name, and the NP in the third slot is a
group of words. Don’t be fooled: the NPs
don’t need to be the same number of
words.
Since prepositional phrases can only
function as adjectives or adverbs, you
know that a prep phrase standing alone
cannot be a subject complement.
Pattern V Examples:
The boy became a man.


“A man” is an NP. “The boy” and “a man”
have the same referent – they refer to the
same person.
“A man” doesn’t describe “the boy;” that would
be adjectival.
Pattern V Examples:
Sue remained my friend after her move.




“My friend after her move” is an NP followed
by an adverbial prepositional phrase* that
modifies the verb, “remained.”
*We will discuss these optional slots later.
“Sue” and “my friend” have the same referent
– they refer to the same person.
“My friend” doesn’t describe “Sue;” that would
be adjectival.
Pattern V Examples:
The lacrosse team became champions.

“Champions” is an NP referring to “the lacrosse
team.”
Joe seemed a smart man.


“A smart man” is an NP renaming “Joe.”
* It would be more common to say, “Joe seemed like
a smart man.” In that case, “like a smart man” is an
adjectival prepositional phrase, so that sentence is a
pattern IV sentence.
Homework
Complete Sentence Patterns IV & V
Worksheet.
Be sure to follow directions..