Once you have learned how to classify and diagram pattern one sentences, the next step is to learn pattern two sentences. They have three core parts.

First comes the subject noun (SN), or who or what the sentence is about. Next comes the verb-transitive (V-t), which is an action verb that sends or transfers its action to something else. The something that receives the action is called the direct object (DO).

Before we get started with examples, take a moment and download the grammar memorization questions as a cross-reference.

SAMPLE LESSON

Pattern two sentences are all about the verb-transitive. If students understand their function, then everything else falls into place. Let’s take a look at a few to see how they are used in sentences.

Aside from the fact that Henry has some serious anger management issues, you probably noticed that each verb-transitive is directly connected to an object. We can establish that connection by taking the verb-transitive and simply asking what after it.

Pounded what?—fist

Kicked what?—door

Lowered what?—hatchet

If there were no answer to the what question, then we would have to conclude that the verb was not a verb-transitive. Here are some sentence examples with verbs that are not transitive.

The first two examples have action verbs, but they are not transitive because their action does not go anywhere, so to speak. Yes, there are prepositional phrases that follow the verbs, but prepositional phrases can’t receive action. Remember, they show relationships between ideas. They establish context. As such, the first two sentences are pattern one.

The last sentence definitely does not have a verb-transitive because “was” is not even an action verb. It’s a linking verb, which we’ll get to later when we learn patterns four and five. Since “was” has no action in the first place, it certainly can’t send action to anything.

Finally, let’s try diagramming our pattern two sentence examples.

Each core part goes on the main horizontal line in the same order they appear in the sentence. We use a long vertical line to separate the subject noun and the verb-transitive because that signals the separation between the complete subject and the complete predicate. Yes, that means the direct object is part of the predicate because it is connected to the verb. As such, we only use a short vertical line to separate the two.

Go back to the previous lesson for a review of the modifier questions for adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases.

PRACTICE SENTENCES

Now for the fun part. Let’s try classifying and diagramming some pattern two sentences about Henry VIII and his six wives.

And there you have the tragic tale of Henry VIII’s six wives. We’ll look at some of the other players in this great drama in the next lesson on pattern three sentences.