In Japan, mastering "five sentence patterns" is centerned on not only grammar classes but also English education. Do native speakers of English know "five sentence patterns," though?
According to Grammar & Sentence Patterns (Tomonaoabe, TS Kikaku):
1st Sentence Pattern S(Subject) + Vi (Intransitive
Verb)
God exists.
She is in that room
2nd Sentence Pattern S + Vi + C(Complement)
The sky is blue.
My friend is a lawyer.
The sky looks blue.
My friend became a lawyer.
3rd Sentence Pattern S + Vt(Verb Transitive) +
O(Object)
We eat fish.
4th Sentence Pattern S + Vt + O + O
Father bought his son a car.
5th Sentence Pattern S + Vt +C +C
I consider him a fool.
We eat fish raw.
I watched him swimming.
We found the matter settled.
I found the machine out of order.
I want you to study.
I admit that this theory has been playing a role in helping Japanese English learners become familiar with English sentence patterns. However, I also wonder if there's something incomplete in this grammar theory. For example:
I am fine.
The sentence above is categorized into the 2nd Sentence Pattern (S + V + C). But, the sentence below, which seems to mean and function in the same way, is categorized into the 1st sentence Pattern (S + V):
I am in good health.
We have to consider it.
I really hope that young grammarians in Japan will give English learners and English teachers in Japan and world a better theory to understand English sentence patterns easier.
2 comments:
I've never heard about these sentence patterns but I don't study english.
There is a difference between speaking english the way most people do in America and the way it is taught in a book. While everyone should know the proper way to talk and write it doesn't mean that's the way people will choose to talk.
Nice point there. I guess, no theory can explain ALL reality.
Anyway, my explanation would be that "in good health" (unlike "in that room") is a part of the predicate that refers to the state, so it can be compared to "fine". I mean, in "She's in that room" "is" is a full-fledged verb signifying location, and in "I am fine/in good health" it's an auxiliary.
Anyway, try these 2:
I asked him what to do.
I told him what to do.
Same structure or not? There goes structuralism...
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