Sentence PatternsB13 – B22

B13. It is/was ADJ that SVO

e.g. It is odd that you know my father.

Subject Verb Object

Usage:

To express opinions on that whole idea

The idea / situation / incidentopinion

1. Students should learn English properly. That is important.

2. They should learn to share things with others. That is essential.

B13. It is/was ADJ that SVO

It is important that students should learn English properly.

It is essential that they should learn to share things with others.

Usage:

To comment on a fact or an idea

B14. It is/was NP that SVOIt is/was NP to V-base

e.g. It was a coincidence that I met her on my way to visit her.

opinion (NP) The fact / idea (SVO)

e.g. It is an unforgivable sin to betray your country.

opinion (NP) The fact / idea

(to V-base)

2. He had a narrow escape in the traffic accident. It was a miracle.

10. Don’t use a toothpick after eating. This is a bad habit.

B14. It is/was NP that SVOIt is/was NP to V-base

It was a miracle that he had a narrow escape in the traffic accident.

It is a bad habit to use a toothpick after eating.

B15. Gerund… [= V-ing (S) V O/C]Usage:

A good way of varying style

e.g. Playing war games is popular among young people nowadays.

Gerund (V-ing) V C (ADJ)

1. To write such words is disgraceful.

3. I can’t answer this question. It is a difficult task for me.

B15. Gerund… [= V-ing (S) V O/C]

Writing such words is disgraceful.

Answering this question is a difficult task for me.

B16. S V too ADJ (for /PN) to V-base

e.g. The parcel is too large for him to carry.

too ADJ for PN to V-baseS V

PN = object pronoun

= me / you / her / him / them / us / it

1. He will not accept any new ideas. He is very old.

3. The car is too expensive. Tom cannot afford it.

9. The shoes are old-fashioned. She won’t wear them.

B16. S V too ADJ (for /PN) to V-base

He is too old to accept any new ideas.

The car is too expensive for Tom to afford. (X)it

The shoes are too old-fashioned for her to wear. (X)them

B17.i. S V not ADJ enough (for ) to V-baseii. S V ADV enough to V-base

iii. S V enough N to V-base

i. He is not strong enough to carry this suitcase. S V not ADJ enough to V-base

ii. He runs fast enough to win the champion.

iii. I don’t have enough patience to look after these children.

S V ADV enough to V-base

S V enough N to V-base

1. The fruit is not suitable for eating. It is not ripe.

3. The woman cannot afford a car. She has no money. (Use ‘rich’)

B17.i. S V not ADJ enough (for ) to V-baseii. S V ADV enough to V-base

iii. S V enough N to V-base

The fruit is not ripe enough to eat.

The woman is not rich enough to afford a car.

B18.i. S V so ADJ that SVO ii. S V so ADV that SVO

Usage:

To tell the consequence

e.g.i. It was so dark that you could not see your hand.

so ADJ S V O

e.g.ii. He worked so hard that he succeeded.

S V so ADV

1. They talked very loudly. All the people in the restaurant looked at them.

6. It is a very thick book. No one can finish reading it.

B18.i. S V so ADJ that SVO ii. S V so ADV that SVO

They talked so loudly that all the people in the restaurant looked at them.

The book is so thick that no one can finish reading it.

B19. S V such NP that SVO

e.g. She was such a lovely girl that everyone liked her.

S V

such NP S V O

1. She made a very splendid meal. We all ate far too much.

6. The new library will be a very large building. It can contain a hundred thousand books.

7. They were very silly ideas. Everyone disregarded them.

B19. S V such NP that SVO

She made such a splendid meal that we all ate far too much.

The new library will be such a large building that it can contain a hundred thousand books.

They were such silly ideas that everyone disregarded them.

(X)very

Usage:• The clause is an important piece of information to define

the subject.• Relative pronouns who / which / that• who for people• which for things• that for BOTH people and things• The clause should be put right after the subject/object it

defines.

•No comma (e.g. …….. , who ……… .)

B20. Relative clauseDefining clause – who/which/that

B20. Relative clauseDefining clause – who/which/that

e.g.i. The umbrella which has a broken handle is mine.

S V C

thingdefining clause

– Which umbrella?

e.g.ii. People who eat too much die early.

S V

People

defining clause

– What kind of people?

B20. Relative clauseDefining clause – who/which/that

1. The letter brought money. The money was badly needed by the family.

2. There was no one in the class. That one could answer the question.

6. When a child has lost his parents, he is to be pitied.

The letter brought money that was badly needed by the family.

There was no one who could answer the question in the class.

A child who has lost his parents is to be pitied.

B21. Relative clauseNon-defining clause – who/which

Usage:• The clause is an additional piece of information about the subje

ct.• Relative pronouns who / which / that• who for people• which for things• The clause should be put right after the subject/object it defines.• Usually used after a proper noun (i.e. names like Hong Kong, M

ary Lau ) • With comma(s) (e.g. …….. , who …, …… .)

B21. Relative clauseNon-defining clause – who/which

e.g. My cousin has been industrious.

My cousin has earned a prize.

Which person? My cousin

The subject is already known.

NO defining parts are needed.

e.g. My cousin , who has been industrious , has

earned a prize.

Non-defining clause

- Additional information

B21. Relative clauseNon-defining clause – who/which

1. Aberdeen is now a prosperous town. It was a fishing village many years ago.

6. Our principal will emigrate to Singapore in three years’ time. He studied in the United States.

9. Coffee is said to contain harmful substances. Coffee is my favourite.

Aberdeen ,which was a fishing village many years ago, is now a prosperous town.

Our principal ,who studied in the United States, will emigrate to Singapore in three years’ time.

Coffee ,which is my favourite, is said to contain harmful substances.

B22. Relative clausewhich/who/whom clause (as objects)

Usage:

• Can be used in BOTH defining and non-defining clauses

• which for things

• who / whom for people

• ‘whom’ is more formal than ‘who’.

Defining clause:e.g. The document was a contract. I put the document in the safe. S V

B22. Relative clausewhich/who/whom clause (as objects)

The document _______________________ was a contract. which I put in the safe

The document ________________ was a contract. I put in the safe

The relative pronoun ‘which’ can be omitted.

Object

Non-defining clause:e.g. Mr. Chan died in hospital yesterday. His students all respected him. S V

B22. Relative clausewhich/who/whom clause (as objects)

Mr. Chan ________________________________ died in hospital yesterday.

, whom his students all respected ,

The relative pronoun ‘whom’ CANNOT be omitted.

An already-known subject

Object

B22. Relative clausewhich/who/whom clause (as objects)

1. The books were written by Shakespeare. They burnt them in the fire.

4. The Shamshuipo branch will be re-opened soon. Three masked man robbed the bank yesterday.

7. The old lion in the garden died in the cage. A visitor shot it yesterday.

The books (which) they burnt in the fire were written by Shakespeare.

The Shamshuipo branch , which three masked man robbed yesterday , will be re-opened soon.

The old lion which a visitor shot yesterday in the garden died in the cage.