Sentence Patterns

Inversions
14, 15, 15a

Assortment
16, 16a, 17, 18, 19, 19a, 20
 Prepositional Phrase Before S
and V
Prepositional Phrase S V or (V S).

After a long pause, the teacher continued.

Until next semester I have no more papers
due.
 Object or Complement Before S
and V
Object or Subject complement S V.

His kind of sarcasm I do not like.

Satisfied with his first draft, good grades he
will never have.
 Complete Inversion of Normal
Pattern
Object or complement or modifier V S.

From his years of study came eventual

understanding and compassion.

Down the field and through the woods

pranced the little puppy.
 Paired Constructions
a. Not only S V, but also S V.
b. Just as S V, so too S V.
c. The more S V, the more S V.
d. The former S V, the latter S V.
e. If not, at least

Examples
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 Examples
• “Not only do I knock them out, but I also
pick the round.” – M. Ali
• Just as the Patriots dominate the Quiz Bowl,
so Wheeling dominates the Math Bowl.
• The more I study French, the more I
become confused.
• The former taught me downhill racing; the
latter helped carry me to the hospital.
 Additional Correlative
Conjunctions
• Whether or
• Such…that
• Both…and
• Neither…nor
• So…that
• Not only…more than that
• As…as
• Not so…as
 A Paired Construction for
Contrast Only
A “this, not that” or “not this, but that” construction
In some place other than the verb position

Example
The famous actor was convinced that it was his
personality, not his money, that attracted women.
By chance (not by studying) she made an “A” on the
midterm.
 Dependent Clause
as Subject or Object or
Complement
(in a “sentence slot”)
S [dependent clause as subject] V.
S V [dependent clause as object or
complement]
 Dependent Clause
as Subject or Object or
Complement
(in a “sentence slot”)
S [dependent clause as subject] V.
S V [dependent clause as object or
complement]
Examples
[How he did that] is amazing to me.
He finally finished [what he had started over a
year ago.]
Absolute Construction Anywhere
In Sentence
(noun plus participle)
Absolute construction , S V.
S, absolute construction, V.

Examples
The American economy, God willing, will soon
return to normal.
The snow having stopped, we were able to
continue our journey.
 The Short, Simple Sentence for
Relief or Dramatic Effect
S V .

Examples
The buck stops here.
Make my day.
I came, I saw, I conquered.
And this is true.
Don’t laugh.
All efforts failed.
 A Short Question for Dramatic
Effect
(Interrogative word) auxiliary verb S V ?
(Interrogative word standing alone) ?
(Question based solely on intonation) ?
Auxiliary verb S V ?

Examples
Why?
That’s her mother?
Remember typewriters?
 The Deliberate Fragment
Examples
I wish you could have known the Southwest in the old
days. The way it really was.
Now, on with the story.
No matter.
Bue how?
What a price to pay.
All to no avail.
Early to bed.