Clause Pattern: Subject – Verb – Direct Object – Object Predicative
(SVO_d P_o )

This pattern consists of a subject A noun phrase (a person or a thing) or a nominal clause normally placed before a verb phrase and which acts as the performer of the verb. more, a complex transitive verb A verb which requires a direct object and an object complement (also known as an object predicative) in the form of a noun phrase or adjective, by an obligatory adverbial (including a prepositional object). more, a direct object A direct object is the "thing" which is directly affected by a transitive verb. It may be a noun, noun phrase, nominal clause, an ing-clause, a to-cause, or a pronoun. more and an object predicative An object predicative complements an object and occurs with complex transitive verbs. It may be a noun phrase or an adjective phrase. more.

The object predicative gives information about the object and may be a noun phrase A noun phrase consists of a head (a noun, an indefinite pronoun or a demonstrative pronoun and optionally a determiner, pre-modification (e.g. adjectives) and/or post-modification. more, an adjective phrase An adjective phrase consists of a head (an adjective) and optionally pre-modification in the form of an adverb and/or post-modification in the form of an adjective complement. more, or (rarely) a wh-clause A clause which begins with a wh-word (who, what, which, where, when, why, how, whether, whatever, whichever ) and acts either as a dependent interrogative clause or a nominal relative clause. more.

• Theysubject findcomplex transitive verb such explanationsdirect object excitingobject predicative. (Satterley 2020)

• Grains like rice, wheat and cornsubject makecomplex transitive verb civilisationdirect object possibleobject predicative. (Bohra and Varshney 2023)

• It is important to keepcomplex transitive verb the wound direct object clean, damp and covered object predicative to help it heal quicker. (Parker, Edwards, and Finlayson 2019)

• This is another adaptation to keepcomplex transitive verb themdirect object warmobject predicative. (Younger 2019)

• In a nutshell, musicsubject putscomplex transitive verb us direct object in a better mood,object predicative which makescomplex transitive verb us direct object better at studyingobject predicative – but it also distracts us, which makescomplex transitive verb us direct object worse at studyingobject predicative. (Byron 2019)     (info)There are three examples in this sentence.

• When we’re sleeping, our bodies and brains are still working to keepcomplex transitive verb usdirect object healthy and happyobject predicative. (Agostini 2019)

• Over 75% of participantssubject considercomplex transitive verb itdirect object good or very goodobject predicative. (Rosell-Aguilar 2018)

• We need to remember that Nauru wasn’t always like this. Wesubject helped makecomplex transitive verb itdirect object what it is todayobject predicative. (Kanngieser 2018)

Test your understanding of this Subject – Verb – Direct Object – Object Predicative
(SVO_d P_o ) pattern Go to the (SVO_d P_o) exercise page.