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Sentence Patterns andSubstitution Tables - I

A sentence pattern is a formula showing the units which make up asentence. The formula S x Vb. x D.O., for example, means Subj ect xVerb x Direct Object, and is exemplified by such sentences as -

The dog chased the cat.Who stole the money?

A substitution table is an arrangement in columns of units which maybe combined to make sentences. From a table containing five or sixcolumns and the same number of horizontal lines, hundreds of sentencesmay be made. They will all be grammatically possible, though theymay not all make sense.

The sentence pattern is a useful guide to the learner, but unless hehas reached the stage at which he is familiar with grammatical termin-ology, the substitution table is probably more valuable. These tablesmay be used in many ways. By making from them large numbers ofsentences, the learner becomes fluent in speech habits. He may alsofind them useful in acquiring a knowledge of syntax. Tables may varyfrom the very simple to the complex.

Here is a simple type: -Table No. 1

1 I 2 I 3

IWeYouet c.

wantwishhopemeanintendexpectet c.

to do itto go thereto leave earlyet c.

As a pattern, this would be S x Vb. x to-infinitive, etc.17

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Here is another simple type :-Table No. 2

II ,

1 2 3 5

This table, written on the blackboard, copied into the learnersnotebook, or provided in the textbook, provides a model for hundredsof similar sentences. It can be used to illustrate the necessity for somekind of determinative word (as in the third column) before a singularcommon noun.

Table No. 3 illustrates a treatment for material nouns, and may beused to show the use of such expressions as a piece of and a l ump of.

Table No. 3

Here are two sentence patterns for the verb be.Pattern 1. S x Vb. (be) x Adv. Complement.Pattern 2. There x Vb. (be) x S x Adv. Complement.

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The first pattern is illustrated in Table No. 4 below.Table No. 4-I 2 3The bookThat box is on the deskMy hat on the floorYour pen was under the tableet c. near the doorupstairsThe flowers are in the next roomYour pencils in the schoolHis things were over thereThose two boys et c.et c.

The second pattern is illustrated in Table No. 5 below.Table No. 5

1 I 2

There is (was)Is (was) there a--

There are (were) sometW0et c.There are (were) notAre (were) there anytwoet c.

3bookboxpenet c.

booksboxespenset c.

4

on the tablein the drawerin my pocketet c.

Teachers will find such tables useful in correction work. If, forexample, a pupil produces the sentence This is book, he may bereferred to Table No. 2 and his attention drawn to column three. Ifhe produces the sentence, A pen is in my pocket, he may be invitedto compare Tables Nos. 4 and 5, and to note in which of them theindefinite article occurs. Where translation into English is required ofthe learner, it is useful to provide, with each of the sentences to betranslated, an indication of the English pattern, and of the correspond-ing substitution table, into which the English version should fit.

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Substitution tables may also be used to provide material for con-version exercises, which are, in the beginning stages, more useful thantranslation. Here are two tables which provide opportunities forconversion exercises, to be done either orally or in writing.

Table No. 6

I 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 5-----I am tall to reach itHe was not strong enough to carry thatThey are clever to do thiset c. et c. et c.

Table No. 7

1 2. 3 4 5 6 7-- --The ceiling high me to reachThe box is too heavy for him to carryThat book was difficult her to understandet c. et c. et c. et c.

Here is an example of conversion. The sentence I was not tallenough to reach it is to be converted so that it fits into Table No. 7.The learner, with the table before him, provides the answer: It wastoo high for me to reach.

Here are two more sentence patterns of a more complex type.Pattern 3: S x Advb. of Frequency x Vb. x I.O. x D.O.

(exemplified by He often offers me advice).Pattern 4 : S x Vb. x I.O. x D.O. x Advb. of Frequency of thetype every morning or on Sundays, or Advb. of Past or Future

Time (exemplified by He offered me some advice yesterday).These are clumsy patterns, and for learners the substitution table is

much better. Table No. 8 illustrates them both.20 contents welcome

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Table No. 8

Here are specimen sentences derived from this table :-I never give him any.She seldom tells us anything.She offers us help every morning.They gave her some last week.I shall offer him one on Tuesday.

The table shows clearly the pre-verbal position of such adverbs offrequency as of t en, somet imes, lways. It shows the end-position of suchphrases as every day, on Sundays, and the adverbials of past and futuretime.

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The substitution table need not be restricted to sentences containingverbs. Here is a pattern, and a table of examples, for a verbless type ofexclamation.

Pattern 5: Advb. x with x Noun or Pronoun.Table No. 9

1OffAwayDownUPet c.

2

with

3his head!him!the traitors!the loyalists!your suspicions!et c.

The next table illustrates a means of guidance in the arrangement ofadjectives before nouns. Rules are, in such cases, difficult to formulateclearly and simply. Tables do provide useful evidence.

1 2largesmallusefulfrightfulvaluabledreadfullongattractive

--

Table No. 10

3

roundoblong

triangular

4greenpink

purpleyellowbrowngreen

5

silkgoldsnakeskinleatherCape Colony

6cabbagefaceboxdressing-gownwatchshoesbeltstamp

Until we come to learn a foreign language, or to teach our ownlanguage to foreigners, we usually fail to realize the problems thatconfront the learner. It is frequently the simplest and most commonwords, structural words in most cases, that are most erratic in behaviour.Consider, for example, those short adverbs which so frequently enter

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into combination with verbs to convey concepts usually expressed inother languages by a single word. English is particularly rich in them.Table No. 11 below is designed to illustrate their varying positions.

Table No. 11

1

BlowSwitchWhen can you payHe tookWe turnedShe threwI cant makeYou must payThe enemy blew

2

the water (it)his hat (it)his clothes (them)the man (him)that balloon (it)the wireless (it)the money (it)Offoff (on)awayoutbackUP

3

Here we have illustrated the alternative positions of the adverbwhen the Direct Object is a noun or clause, and the single, final positionof the adverb when the Direct Object is a personal pronoun (as shownby the parenthetical entries in the upper half of column 2).

Three aids have been illustrated: (1) the sentence pattern orformula, (2) the substitution table, and (3) the collection of examples,not designed for substitution, but arranged in columns. Each has itsvalue and use.

In future issues notes will be supplied on the most frequently occurr-ing sentence patterns in English. They will be illustrated with tablessimilar to those used with this introductory article, and suggestions willbe made for their use in classroom work. contents welcome