Sentence patterns: definitions of key terms

Any discussion of sentence patterns depends on a clear understanding of the terms object [> 1.4] (direct or indirect), complement, transitive verb and intransitive verb

A direct object refers to the person or thing affected by the action of the verb It comes immediately after a transitive verb

Please don t annoy me

Veronica threw the ball over the wall

An indirect object usually refers to the person who 'benefits' from the action expressed in the verb someone you give something to, or buy something for It comes immediately after a verb

Throw me the ball

Buy your father a present

A complement follows the verb be and verbs related to be, such as seem [> 10.23-26], which cannot be followed by an object A complement (e g adjective, noun, pronoun) completes the sense of an utterance by telling us something about the subject For example, the words following is tell us something about Frank Frank is clever Frank is an architect

A transitive verb is followed by an object A simple test is to put Who(m)? or What? before the the question-form of the verb If we get an answer, the verb is transitive [> App 1]