Clause Pattern: Subject – Verb – Complement (SVC)
Understanding the construction and use of the subject – verb – complement clause pattern
This pattern consists of a subjectSee the glossary definition , a monotransitive verbSee the glossary definition , and a complementSee the glossary definition clause. The complement clause may be a that-clauseSee the glossary definition , a wh-clauseSee the glossary definition , an infinitive clauseSee the glossary definition , or an ing-clauseSee the glossary definition .
That clauses
Wesubject knowtransitive verb
that the Earth has had at least five major ice ages that clause . (Su 2022)
Wherever we look, wesubject can seetransitive verb that the seasons are changing that clause . (Doddridge 2022)
Studiessubject showtransitive verb that rising temperatures are already affecting precipitation, glaciers, weather patterns, tropical cyclone activity and severe storms that clause . (Weatherhead 2021) (info) That clauses can be quite long.
Wesubject knowtransitive verb that musical tastes begin to crystallize as early as age 13 or 14 that clause. (McAndrew 2019)
Thissubject showstransitive verb that babies prefer infant-directed speech to adult-directed speech that clause . (Lam-Cassettari 2019)
Wh-clauses
No onesubject knowstransitive verb
who invented music wh-clause . (Dallman 2022)
There are a couple of ways wesubject can try to tellcomplex verb phrase how old a dinosaur was when it died wh-clause (how is a wh-word) . (Syme 2019)
Have yousubject ever wonderedtransitive verb why you feel sleepy wh-clause ? (Chronaki 2019)
Nobodysubject knowstransitive verb where human evolution will lead wh-clause. (Simons 2021)
Everyone was then tested to seetransitive verb if they could remember what they had typed wh-clause . (Noreen 2015)
Infinitive clauses
Theysubject were askedtransitive verb to memorise both listsinfinitive clause. (Noreen 2015)
Anyonesubject can claimtransitive verb to be a journalist infinitive clause , irrespective of their actual function. (Watson 2023)
Eat less meat and more vegetables, pulses and grains, and don’t forgettransitive verb to turn off the light when leaving a room or the water when shampooing infinitive clause . (Byskov 2019)
Remember transitive verb to check on elderly or frail neighbours infinitive clause. (Lopes, Power, and Crabtree 2020) (info)This is an imperative so there is no subject.
So instead of avoiding products based on speculation, wesubject needtransitive verb to take a holistic look at our own consumption habits infinitive clause . (Marty et al. 2023)
Ing-clauses
Other electronssubject just keeptransitive verb
running around in the atoms ing-clause . (Abbas 2019)
First, the woodsubject startstransitive verb getting hotter ing-clause . (Nolan 2019)
When the baby planet gets massive enough, the force of gravitysubject beginstransitive verb crushing it, making it denser ing-clause ("making it denser" is a result arverbial) . (Laycock 2023)
In fact, studies have found that by the time we turn 33, most of ussubject have stoppedtransitive verb listening to new music ing-clause. (McAndrew 2019)
Isubject can remembertransitive verb being a baby ing-clause . (Justice, Conway, and Akhtar 2018)
See more examples in the
glossary
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