🏠 Home
EnglishSolo › Grammar › Sentence Patterns

Sentence Patterns

Discover the architectural blueprints of English sentences and learn how words work together to create meaning!

Understanding Sentence Structure

Every English sentence follows a basic pattern - it's like a recipe with essential ingredients that work together to create complete thoughts.

The foundation: Every sentence needs a subject (who or what) and a verb (the action or state).

"My pet cat sleeps all day long."

In this sentence, we can clearly see the subject doing an action - the building blocks of meaning!

Basic Pattern

SUBJECT
→
VERB

The fundamental building blocks

S+V
Simple Subject + Verb
Subject + Verb

The most basic sentence pattern - just a subject performing an action or existing in a state.

Examples

  • Birds fly.
  • She laughed.
  • The sun shines.
  • Children play.
S+V+O
Subject + Verb + Object
Subject + Verb + Object

The subject performs an action on something else - the direct object receives the action.

Examples

  • She reads books.
  • Dogs chase cats.
  • I love chocolate.
  • Students write essays.
S+V+C
Subject + Verb + Complement
Subject + Verb + Complement

The verb links the subject to additional information that describes or identifies it.

Examples

  • She is happy.
  • The cake smells delicious.
  • He became a doctor.
  • The weather seems cold.
S+V+IO+DO
Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object
Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object

The subject performs an action on a direct object, with an indirect object receiving the benefit.

Examples

  • She gave him a gift.
  • I told her the story.
  • They bought us dinner.
  • He taught me Spanish.

🔍 Sentence Pattern Analyzer

Type a sentence below and discover its pattern structure!

💡 Quick Tips for Finding Sentence Patterns

1
Find the Subject First
Ask "Who or what is this sentence about?" The answer is your subject - the main actor or focus.
2
Identify the Verb
Ask "What did the subject do?" or "What happened?" This will help you locate the main action or state of being.
3
Look for Objects
If the verb needs something to complete its meaning, you've found an object. Ask "What?" or "Who?" after the verb.
4
Check for Complements
With linking verbs (is, seems, becomes), look for words that describe or rename the subject.