Microsoft Word Theoretical Course of English Grammar

5.
 
Valency patterns 
The finite verb, being the centre of predication, organizes all the sentence constituents. In 
other words, the main verb with its semantics determines the configuration of other elements 
that are required in the sentence. This combining power of the verb is called VALENCY.
The pattern of the sentence (clause) elements is called the valency pattern of the verb (Bi-
ber et al. 2003: 119). The patterns are differentiated by the required elements that follow the 
verb within the sentence (the subject, the direct object, indirect object, adverbial, etc.). All 
valency patterns include a subject while optional adverbials can always be added. The morpho-
logical relevance of the combining power of the verb is manifested in the categorical voice 
distinction of the verb.
British grammarians differentiate five major valency patterns: intransitive, monotransi-
tive, ditransitive, complex transitive and copular (Biber et al. 2003: 119-123): 
2
The suffix 
-ize
is often spelled 
-ise
in British English. 

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Theoretical Course of English Grammar 
Script by prof. 
Nino Kirvalidze
40
A. Intransitive pattern (S + V), which is a combination of the subject and the main verb. 
Intransitive verbs occur with no obligatory element following the verb. For instance:
More 
people came
. 
B. Monotransitive pattern (S + V + DO), which represents a subject-verb combination 
with a direct object. Monotransitive verbs occur with a single direct object. Cf.: 
She was 
carrying a heavy bag
. 
C. Ditransitive [dai'tr
æ
nz
i
tiv] pattern (S + V + IO + DO), which represents a subject-verb 
combination with two object phrases: an indirect object and a direct object. For instance:
His 
father gave him the money
.
They called him Johnny
.
D. Complex transitive patterns are represented by two types, in which transitive verbs 
occur with a direct object followed either by an object predicative expressed by an adjective, 
i.e. when a transitive verb is followed by a complex object (1) or by an obligatory adverbial (2):
1. 
The boy made his mother angry
.
(S + V + DO + OP) 
2.
He put his hand on the child’s shoulder.
(S + V + DO + Adv)
E. Copular pattern (S + Copula + P), which represents a combination of a subject and a 
copular verb followed by a predicative (a noun, adjective, adverb or prepositional phrase). For 
instance:
She was a school teacher then. (noun, predicative) 
Carrie felt a little less bold. (adjective, predicative) 
She felt well. (adverb, predicative) 
The monotransitive, ditransitive and complex transitive patterns are the transitive pat-
terns, as they all require some type of object. The most common structure for the objects is a 
noun phrase. However, in some cases other structures, such as a complement clause, can 
function as objects. For example; 

Monotransitive pattern with a complement clause for the direct object:
He said he was going to make a copy
. 

Ditransitive pattern with a noun or pronoun for the indirect object and a complement 
clause for the direct object: 
The staff in the information office told me that the train had been delayed until 18.15.

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Theoretical Course of English Grammar 
Script by prof.