Which one of the following sentences has the given pattern? Subject + Verb + Subject Complement

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:

The sentence "This is a pen" perfectly illustrates the Subject + Verb + Subject Complement (S+V+SC) pattern. In this structure, the verb is always a linking verb (such as forms of 'to be': is, am, are, was, were, etc.), and the subject complement is a word or phrase that follows the linking verb and renames or describes the subject. Here, 'This' is the Subject, 'is' is the Linking Verb, and 'a pen' is the Subject Complement. Since 'a pen' is a noun phrase that renames the subject 'This,' it functions as a Subject Complement, specifically a predicate nominative. Understanding this pattern is crucial as it distinguishes sentences with linking verbs from those with action verbs, which require objects (direct or indirect) to complete their meaning.

The incorrect option is 1:

The sentence "I know his address" follows the Subject + Verb + Direct Object (S+V+DO) pattern. 'I' is the Subject, 'know' is the Transitive Action Verb, and 'his address' is the Direct Object, receiving the action of the verb 'know.' The verb 'know' is not a linking verb, so it cannot take a Subject Complement.

The incorrect option is 2:

The sentence "She wants to go" follows the Subject + Verb + Object (S+V+O) pattern, although the object here is an infinitive phrase ('to go'), making the full structure Subject + Verb + Infinitive. 'She' is the Subject, 'wants' is the Transitive Action Verb, and 'to go' acts as the Direct Object of the verb 'wants.' This sentence does not contain a linking verb and thus lacks a Subject Complement.

The incorrect option is 4:

The sentence "The bell has rung" follows the Subject + Verb (S+V) pattern. 'The bell' is the Subject, and 'has rung' is the Verb Phrase (Intransitive Verb in the present perfect tense). Since the verb 'has rung' is an intransitive verb and the action is complete without requiring a receiver (object) or a describer (complement), the sentence stands alone with only a subject and a verb.