Journalistic
Writing MCM310
VU
LECTURE
11
BASIC
CLAUSE PATTERNS
Take a
look of this the Language Chain.
Start from the bottom and
move up.
(Clue:
Grapheme into morpheme into
word into phrase and this
into clause.)
A
clause is a grammatical unit
that:
Includes
a subject and a predicate,
and
Expresses
a proposition (idea)
There
are five basic clause
patterns:
children
played.
1.
S + V:
The
2.
S + V + C:
You
are
beautiful.
Jinnah
inspired
everyone.
3.
S + V + O:
4.
S + V + IO + DO:
Ali
gave
his
friend
a
ruby ring.
calls
his
Mom
a
saint.
5.
S + V + O + OC:
Ali
Do
this Exercise. Identify the
basic clause
patterns.
1.
We painted the town
red.
Answer
for example: We (S) painted (V; action verb)
the town (DO) red
(IO).
Now
do yourself.
2.
We passed the boy collection
basket.
38
Journalistic
Writing MCM310
VU
3.
We passed the collection
basket.
4.
Adam appears interested in the
project.
5.
Hussan is a Math
teacher.
6.
His motive was
mysterious.
7.
I bought the suit.
8.
The woman in the row
coughed.
9.
Caroline gave Steven a
choice.
Source:
The University of Nottingham, Department of
English Studies.
Campbell.
The Easy Writer, Harper.
1993
39