My Big Fat Grammar Project

To the Teacher: Welcome to “My Big Fat Grammar Project.” The BFGP takes students through the patterns of sentences in the English language. As you’ll see, each of the patterns is explained and expanded. The patterns are also diagrammed. Your job is to present ONE pattern at a time. The student’s job is to create a book, booklet, binder, or poster that demonstrates understanding of each pattern. They do this by composing 3 sentences for each of the patterns. To make the BFGP interesting, attractive, and fun, they should choose a theme, the quirkier the better (giraffes, earthworms, ice cream). The BFGP is a work of art: Each sentence should take up a full page (or sizable portion of a poster) and be illustrated with either original drawings, cut-outs from magazines, or clip art. The patterns are shown on the next screen.

To the Teacher: We have three action verb patterns: 1. The intransitive verb pattern: Noun + verb 2. The transitive verb pattern: Noun + verb + noun (direct object) 3. The complex transitive pattern: Noun + Noun (indirect object) + verb + direct object And we have thee linking verb patterns: 1. Noun + BE + Subject complement (The subject complement can be adverbial information, adjectival information, or nominal information) 2. Noun + OTHER LINKING VERB + Subject complement (same as above, except that some “other linking verbs” do not need a subject complement, ex: Sometiimes, sneakers smell. Fear not! All of this will be explained and illustrated in the screens that follow. NB: This is a simplified version of sentence pattern taxonomy, representing only the most common patterns. I used the BFGB for ninth grade students, but it can be used just as well with other levels.

To the Teacher: Do the math: The student ends up with 12 sentences, each carefully written, illustrated, categorized, analyzed, and diagrammed, on a particular theme. Twelve sentences may not seem like a lot, but once students understand the major sentence patterns of English, they are ready to hang all kinds of information on sturdy frames. The terminology for the BFGP: sentence, subject, predicate, slots, noun, verb; direct object, indirect object, transitive verb, complex transitive verb, intransitive verb; linking verb, helping verb, passive voice, progressive action, subject complement, adverbial, adjectival, nominal Fear not! All of this will be explained and illustrated in the screens that follow. NB: This is a simplified version of sentence pattern taxonomy, representing only the most common patterns. I used the BFGB for ninth grade students, but it can be used just as well with other levels.

The Action Verb Patterns Intransitives Transitives

Noun + Verb The Intransitive Verb Pattern Katherine laughed. This sentence has two slots: Subject + Verb

An intransitive verb is an action verb that allows for completeness, needing no other words in the sentence. Subject Verb Katherine Laughed. This sentence has two required slots.

An intransitive verb is an action verb that allows for completeness, needing no other words in the sentence. will laugh Subject Verb laughs is laughing was laughing circus Elephants five purple Katherine Queen the Laughed. has laughed the movies. at This sentence has two required slots.

Make 3 Sentences in the Noun + Verb Pattern

Noun + Verb + Noun Transitive Verb + Direct Object Verb (transtive) Subj. Everybody loves Raymond Subj. This sentence has three slots: Subject + Verb + Direct Object

Noun + Verb + Noun Transitive Verb + Direct Object Loves whom or what? Transitive Verb + Direct Object Everybody loves Raymond. Direct Object Subj. Verb (transtive) Raymond. Everybody loves This sentence has three slots: Subject + Verb + Direct Object

Transitives Transitive verbs take direct objects. Direct objects answer “whom” or “what” to the (action) verbs.

Make 3 Sentences in the Noun + Verb + Noun (direct object) Pattern

Transitives Complex transitive verbs take objects as well as direct objects. indirect Indirect objects answer “to whom,” “for whom,” “to what,” “for what” to the direct object.

Sentences having indirect objects: Claudia gave Ramon an eyebrow stud. Verb (transtive) Direct Subj. Claudia stud gave an eyebrow Object Ramon indirect object

Sentences having indirect objects: Verbs about giving and verbs about showing like to take indirect objects. Verb (transtive) Direct Object Subj. I am sending money. you Indirect Object

Make 3 Sentences in the Noun + Noun (indrect object) Verb+ Noun (direct object) Pattern

IS AM ARE WAS WERE BE BEING BEEN Now, we come to the LINKING VERB patterns: Let’s learn about BE: IS AM ARE WAS WERE BE BEING BEEN

Three Uses of BE: As a main verb, to express existence: My teacher is a werewolf.

Three Uses of BE: As a helping verb, to express progressive action: My teacher was turning into a werewolf.

Three Uses of BE: As a helping verb,to form the passive voice: Many students were attacked at night.

A ferret is a type of weasel. Pattern : BE + nominal A nominal is a word or group of words that does the work of a noun (a noun and its modifiers). A nominal may be a single word, a phrase, or a clause. You can tell where a nominal begins and ends by replacing it with a pronoun. Whatever words the pronoun “eats up” would be one nominal. (Another test is to use the word “something” to replace a nominal.) A ferret is a type of weasel.

A ferret is a type of weasel. (Something) is (something). (Something) = (something). Subject item = Subject complement item Same referents on both sides of the verb This clause has three slots.

Pattern: BE + Adjectival BE + a subject complement that is an adjectival An adjectival is to an adjective what a nominal is to a noun: a single word, a phrase, or a clause that does the work of an adjective, ie. to answer Which one? What kind? or How many?

Pattern : BE + Adjectival A ferret is furry.

A ferret is furry. is furry. A ferret BE verb Adjectival singular present tense Adjectival Subj. Complement NP (noun phrase) Subject Note that this clause can be expressed in the form of a phrase: the furry ferret. This sentence has three slots.

A ferret is furry and funny. BE verb singular present tense NP (noun phrase) Subject Note that this clause can be expressed in the form of a phrase: the furry ferret. Adjectival Subj. Complement This sentence has three slots.

BE + Adverbial Information A ferret is in the garage. The BE Patterns BE + Adverbial Information BE + Adverbial (An adverbial is to an adverb what an adjectival is to an adjective and what a nominal is to a noun, ie. a single word, phrase, or clause that answers the questions that adverbs answer: after linking verbs, adverbials usually answer where? or when?) A ferret is in the garage.

A ferret is in the garage. (Something) is (somewhere). (Something) is (happening at some time). This clause has three slots.

My birthday was yesterday. (Something) is (somewhere). (Something) is (happening at some time). This clause has three slots.

Make 3 Sentences in BE Patterns

THE OTHER LINKING VERB PATTERNS Sense verbs: Look, sound, smell, taste, feel Seem, become, grow…

Pattern: Linking Verb + Adjective Linking Verb + Predicate Adjective This ice cream tastes delicious.

This ice cream tastes delicious. NP Subj Subject complement Predicate Adj. (linking) verb Note: In a Pattern 4 sentence, the subject complement Is an adjective, not an adverb. Hence: I feel bad (not badly). This sentence has three slots.

She became a famous doctor.. Linking Verb + Noun Pattern : Linking Verb + Noun She became a famous doctor.. She doctor. a famous became Subj. (linking) verb Subject complement Predicate noun.

Make 3 Sentences in Other Linking Verb Patterns