Verb Pattern 1:
There/It + BE Subject
1. There was a large crowd.
2. It was impossible to go further.
3. It was a pity the weather was so bad.
Examples of VP2A
Subject vi
1.We all breath, drink and eat.
2.The moon rose.
3.A period of political unrest followed.
Verb Pattern 2A (cont)
Subject + vi adjective/noun/pronoun
Subject + vi preposition +
noun/pronoun
1. You may rely on that man/his discretion/his
being discreet.
2. Can I count on your help?
3. What has happened to them?
Verb Pattern 3A (cont)
Subject + vi to-infinitive
1. We stopped to rest / to have a rest.
2. How did you come to know her?
3. Will he live to be ninety?
4. Someone has called to see you.
Verb Pattern 4B
The infinitive may be equivalent to a co-ordinate
clause.
Subject + vi to-infinitive
1. He awoke to find the house on fire.
2. The good old days
have gone never to return.
3. Electronic music
has clearly come to stay.
4. He looked round to see the door slowly
opening.
Verb Pattern 4C
Subject + vi to-infinitive
1. She hesitated to tell anyone.
2. She was longing to see her family again.
3. He agreed to come at once.
Verb Pattern 4D
The verbs seem and appear are used in this pattern. If
the infinitive is be with an adjective or noun as
complement, to be may be omitted (unless the
adjective is one that is used only predicatively, as in
[VP4E]).
adjective/
It + seem/appear noun subject
1. It seemed reasonable to try again.
2. It seems a pity to waste all that food.
3. It doesnt seem much use going on.
4. It appears unlikely that well arrive on time.
Verb Pattern 4E
HAPPEN / CHANCE
Subject + SEEM / APPEAR to-infinitive
1. The baby seems to be asleep/to be sleeping.
2. My enquiries seem to be have resented.
3. She happened to be out when I called.
4. We chanced to meet in the park.
5. There seems to have been some mistakes.
Verb Pattern 4F
Subject + BE to-infinitive
1. Were to be married in May.
2. At what time am I to come?
3. How am I to pay my debt?
Verb Pattern 5
Subject + vt noun/pronoun
1. Did you enjoy the film?
2. We all had a good time.
3. Everyone likes her.
Verb Pattern 6B
Subject + vt noun/pronoun
1. Have you had breakfast yet?
2. She has green eyes.
3. Have you hurt yourself?
4. She smiled her thanks.
5. He dreamed a very odd dream.
Verb Pattern 6C
Subject + vt noun/pronoun
1. She enjoys playing tennis.
2. Have you finished talking?
3. I resent being spoken to so rudely.
Verb Pattern 6D
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun that-clause
1. He warned us that the roads were icy.
2. I convinced the policeman that I was innocent.
3. We satisfied ourselves that the plan would work.
Verb Pattern 12A
The verb is followed by an indirect object (IO) and
a direct object (DO). The indirect object is
equivalent to a prepositional object with to. As in
[VP13A]
Subject + vt IO DO
1.Wont you lend him your car?
2.He doesnt owe me anything.
3.He denied/grudged her nothing.
Verb Pattern 12B
Subject + vt IO DO
1. She made herself a new dress.
2. Will you do me a favour?
3. She cooked her husband some sausages.
Verb Pattern 12C
Verbs in this pattern are rarely or never
convertible to [VP13]. The labels IO and DO
are not used.
Subject + vt DO to + noun/pronoun
1. She told the news to everyone in the village.
2. He sold his old car to one of his neighbours.
3. Ive sent presents to everyone in my family.
Verb Pattern 13B
Subject + vt DO adverbial
phrase
1. Dont let the child put his head out of the card window
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun infinitive
1. Did you see/notice anyone leave the house?
2. We felt the house shake.
3. I once heard her sing the part of Aida.
Verb Pattern 18B
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun infinitive
1. What makes us think so?
2. Let me go!
3. Ive never known him behave so badly before.
Verb Pattern 18C
Have is used in this pattern when it means
wish, experience, or cause.
noun/
Subject + HAVE pronoun infinitive
1. What would you have me do?
2. Have the visitors shown in, please.
3. I had a frightening thing happen to me
yesterday.
4. We often have our friends visit us on Sundays.
Verb Pattern 19A
The verb is followed by a noun or pronoun and a
present participle. The verbs indicate physical
perceptions and are those used in [VP18A].
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun present participle
1. Can you smell something burning?
2. She could feel her heart beating wildly.
3. Did you notice anyone standing at the gate?
4. Didnt you hear me knocking?
Verb Pattern 19B
This pattern is used for some verbs which
do not indicate physical perceptions.
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun present participle
1. I found John working at his desk.
2. They left me waiting outside.
3. This set me thinking.
4. Please start the clock going.
5. He soon had them all laughing.
Verb Pattern 19C
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun interrogative + to-infinitive
1. I showed them how to do it.
2. Tell him where to put it.
3. Ask your teacher how to pronounce the word.
Verb Pattern 21
This pattern is similar to [VP20]. An
interrogative clause follows the noun or
pronoun.
noun/
Subject + vt pronoun interrogative clause
1. Tell me what your name is.
2. Ask him where he put it.
3. Show me what you have in your
pockets.
Verb Pattern 22
Subject + vt DO adjective
1. We painted the ceiling green.
2. The sun keeps us warm.
3. The mud made walking difficult.
Verb Pattern 23
Subject + vt DO noun
1. They made Newton President of Royal Society.
2. They named the baby Richard.
3. They usually call him Dick.
Verb Pattern 24A