Jurnal Pendidikan Multidisipliner

Volume 7 Nomor 7, Juli 2024
ISSN: 27342488

UNDERSTANDING THE FIVE SENTENCE PATTERN
Nessa Tri Fanny Lumban Tobing1, Hery Reynaldi Tarigan2, Mita Syah Putri Silalahi3
Email: nessatrifanny@gmail.com1, heryytarigann@gmail.com2, mitacantik2301@gmail.com3

Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar
ABSTRACT
The five sentence pattern is a linguistic concept that refers to basic structure of sentences in language,
and elements that make up the five English sentence pattern are Subject (s), Verb (V), Object (O),
Complement (c). This pattern part of English grammar, helping categorize sentences and ensure
clarity in communication.1. Subject + Verb: The simplest sentence pattern consisting of a subject
(who or what the sentence is about) and the verb (action or state) 2. Subject + Verb + Object: A
sentence pattern that includes a subject, verb and object (the recipient of the action) 3. Subject + Verb
+ Compliment: A sentence pattern where a complement (Completing the meaning of the subject or
verb) follows the verb) Understanding these sentence patterns helps in constructing clear and
coherent sentence, allowing for effective communication and conveying precise meaning in written
and spoken language
Keywords: sentence pattern, sentence type, syntactic analysis.

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INTRODUCTION
Understanding the structure of the sentence is an important foundation in the control of
English. Five sentence patterns play a crucial role in this case, serves as the backbone of clear
and effective communication. These patterns provide the framework which helps in
compiling the correct grammatical sentence and convey the meaning in question accurately.
Each pattern serves various types of information we want to communicate, whether it
involves action, description, or relationship between ideas. By understanding these patterns,
learners can improve their writing skills and speak, making their communication more
dynamic and exciting. Let's explore these patterns to reveal the essence of making
meaningful sentences in English. The Five Sentence Pattern, or English Sentence Structure, is
a framework that has been developed over time to construct meaningful and complete
sentences in English. The patterns are structures that sentences follow to convey clear and
effective messages. The most basic sentence pattern is a subject followed by a verb.
However, these patterns can become more complex, including additional elements such as
objects and complements.
FINDING AND DISCUSSION
1. Background Of Study
The five sentence patterns in English refer to structured frameworks that dictate the
arrangement of elements within a sentence, including the subject, verb, object, complement,
and linking verb. These patterns serve as fundamental building blocks in constructing
grammatically correct and coherent sentences. Each pattern follows a distinct arrangement of
elements to convey different types of information, such as actions, relationships, or
descriptions. Understanding and mastering the five sentence patterns play a critical role in
enhancing language proficiency, clarity in communication, and effective writing skills in the
English language.
The concept of the five sentence patterns in grammar refers to the fundamental
structures that sentences can conform to in terms of their elements and organization. These
patterns, including Subject-Verb, Subject-Verb-Object, Subject-Verb-Complement, SubjectLinking Verb-Complement, and Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object, provide
systematic frameworks for constructing sentences with clarity and coherence. Each pattern
dictates the arrangement of essential components such as subjects, verbs, objects,
complements, and linking verbs, influencing the overall structure and meaning of the
sentence. Mastery of these sentence patterns is essential for grasping the foundational
principles of grammar, facilitating effective communication, and enhancing writing
proficiency.
According to Chomsky (1957) A sentence is a sequence of words that conforms to the
rules of a grammar and forms a complete thought. Bloomfield (1933) A sentence is an
independent linguistic form, not included by virtue of any grammatical construction in any
larger linguistic form. Crystal (1997) A sentence is a group of words that are grammatically
linked and convey a complete idea, typically containing a subject and a predicate. Richards et
al. (1985) A sentence is the largest unit of grammar, typically marked by a capital letter at the
beginning and a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end. Fries (1952) A
sentence is a chain of words expressing a complete thought, usually containing a subject and
predicate and marked by punctuation in written language.
2. Formulation Of Study
Studying the formulation of five sentence patterns involves understanding how
sentences can be structured in English.
1. Subject + Verb (SV):
- Example: "She sings."
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- Explanation: The sentence consists of a subject and a verb. The verb may be
intransitive, meaning it doesn't need an object to complete its meaning.
2. Subject + Verb + Object (SVO):
- Example: "She loves music."
- Explanation: The sentence has a subject, a transitive verb, and a direct object that
receives the action of the verb.
3. Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (SVOO):
- Example: "She gave him a gift."
Keywords: background of study five sentence pattern in english, grammar, definition of
five sentence pattern by experts, formulation of study about five sentence pattern
- Explanation: The sentence includes a subject, a verb, an indirect object (the recipient of
the action), and a direct object (the thing being given).
4. Subject + Verb + Complement (SVC):
- Example: "She is a teacher."
- Explanation: The sentence includes a subject, a linking verb (like "is"), and a subject
complement (which describes or identifies the subject).
5. Subject + Verb + Object + Complement (SVOC):
- Example: "They elected him president."
- Explanation: The sentence contains a subject, a verb, an object, and an object
complement (which gives more information about the object).
3. Objective Of Study
Explore how each sentence pattern contributes to the overall clarity, coherence, and
effectiveness of communication in written and spoken language.
Keywords: objective of study five sentence pattern
Theory
4. Five Sentence Pattern
A sentence pattern refers to the arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence to
convey meaning effectively. It involves the structure and order in which elements such as
subjects, verbs, objects, and modifiers are placed within a sentence.
On the other hand, the five-sentence pattern is a writing framework that consists of five
essential components: an introduction, three supporting sentences, and a conclusion. This
pattern is commonly used to organize ideas logically and cohesively in written
communication. The introduction sets the stage by introducing the main idea, the supporting
sentences provide details or examples to develop the main idea, and the conclusion
summarizes the key points and reinforces the central theme.
Overall, the sentence pattern and the five-sentence pattern are tools that writers use to
structure their thoughts and communicate effectively in written form.
5. The Types Of The Five Sentence Pattern
a) Subject + Intransitive Verb (S+IV)
When learning the basic sentence patterns, the S–IV pattern is the simplest sentence
type. It includes just a subject and an intransitive verb. Grammatically, intransitive verbs do
not need a direct object. Unlike transitive verbs, verbs belonging to this type don’t answer the
question “what?”. In most cases, dynamic and locomotive verbs (or verbs that express
movement) belong to this sentence pattern.
Also, this pattern uses verbs that are in the base form and doesn’t need supporting
information. This means that the thought of the sentence was already completed by the action
of the verb.
Example: The book fell
Subject (S): "The book" - refers to the object that the sentence is about, which is a book.
Verb (V): "fell" - describes the action or state of the subject. In this case, it indicates
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that the book fell or dropped.
b) Subject + Transitive Verb + Direct Object
This time let’s move on to the second basic sentence patterns in English we all are
familiar with: the S–TV–DO pattern. This pattern includes a subject, a transitive verb, and a
direct object. Here, we use transitive verbs, which means that we need a direct object. The
trick here is to make sure our verb answers the question “what? and Whom”
Moreover, this pattern uses a verb that is in the =s form, most especially the stative
verbs. The S-TV-DO pattern, unlike the S-IV pattern, needs supporting information,
especially the object pointed about in the sentence (noun).
Example: The batter hit the ball
Subject (S): "The batter" - refers to the person who is performing the action of hitting the
ball.
Verb (V): "hit" - describes the action being performed by the subject.
Direct Object (DO): "the ball" - refers to the object that receives the action of being hit.
Overall, the sentence describes an action where the batter strikes or makes contact with
the ball.
Keywords: definition of five sentence pattern, type of five sentence pattern
c) Subject + Transitive Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (S+TV+IO+DO)
Next in the list of basic sentence patterns is the S–TV–IO–DO sentence. This type
includes a subject, a transitive verb, an indirect object, and a direct object. So in this sentence
the Indirect Object comes before the Direct Object. Which mean the Indirect Object can not
stand alone in the sentence The trick here is to make sure our verb answers the question “for
what? and for whom”.
Example: He gave him the money
Subject (S): "He" - refers to the person who is performing the action of giving.
Verb (V): "gave" - describes the action being performed by the subject.
Indirect Object (IO): "the money" - refers to the object that is being given.
Direct Object (DO): "him" - refers to the person who is receiving the money.
Overall, the sentence describes an action where one person (he) gives money to another
person (him).
d) Subject + Transitive Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement (S+TV+DO+OC)
The fourth basic sentence pattern we have in English is the S–TV–DO–OC sentence
type. This sentence pattern includes a subject, transitive verb, direct object, and an objective
complement. Unlike subjective complements, objective complements describe a direct object.
The object complement in this sentence pattern refers to a specific description of the
direct object being done by the subject, with the use of the verb. Generally, the OC in this
pattern could be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
Example: Mary considered Ana her friend.
Subject (S): "Mary" – refers to the person who is performing the action.
Verb (V): "considered" – describes the action being performed by the subject.
Direct Object (DO): "Ana" – refers to the object that is being considered.
Object Complement (OC): "her friend" – provides additional information or describes
the direct object.
Overall, the sentence states that Mary regarded or thought of Ana as her friend. The
object complement "her friend" further clarifies the relationship between Mary and Ana.
e) Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement (S+LV+SC)
The last basic sentence pattern in English we have the S+LVTC. This includes a
subject, a linking verb, and a complement. Linking verbs are the types of verbs that join the
subject with an adjective or another noun. Some commonly used linking verbs include be,
am, are, is, was, were, and seem.
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Apart from linking verbs, we can also use sense verbs to make this type of sentence
pattern. A sense verb is a verb that describes one of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell,
touch, and taste.
On the other hand, a subjective complement is a word or a group of words that often
follow a linking/sense verb. Subjective complements can either be nouns, pronouns, or
adjectives.
Example: She looks happy
Subject (S): "She" - refers to the person being talked about.
Verb (V): "looks" - describes the action or state of the subject.
Subject Complement (SC): "happy" - describes or renames the subject. In this case, it
explains the state of being of "She" as happy
Keywords: types of five sentence pattern
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the study on the five sentence patterns in English grammar has shed light
on the foundational structures that govern sentence construction and communication
effectiveness. The analysis of the Subject-Verb, Subject-Verb-Object, Subject-VerbComplement, Subject-Linking Verb-Complement, and Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct
Object patterns has highlighted their significance in shaping the clarity, coherence, and
impact of language use. Mastery of these patterns is essential for enhancing language
proficiency, improving communication skills, and conveying information effectively.
Educators and learners can benefit from integrating these patterns into language instruction to
optimize language learning processes and enhance overall communication proficiency.
Overall, a deeper understanding of the five sentence patterns is imperative for achieving
linguistic clarity, precision, and efficacy in both written and spoken communication.
In addition, the exploration of the five sentence patterns offers valuable insights into the
systematic nature of language structure and the intricacies of sentence formation. By
dissecting and understanding how each pattern functions in conveying information and
shaping meaning, individuals can elevate their language skills and enhance their ability to
express ideas with precision and coherence. The practical application of these patterns
facilitates effective communication, enabling speakers and writers to craft compelling
narratives, deliver impactful messages, and engage audiences more meaningfully. Embracing
the intricacies of the five sentence patterns is not just a study in grammar but a pathway to
mastering the art of expression and communication in the diverse linguistic landscape.
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