Identify the Pattern
The Cat is on the couch
Pattern 2
The Cat slept soundly
[Over] [Ran] [The Cat] [The Fence]
The Action -- The Cat Ran Over The Fence
Mr. Smith is my teacher
The Identifier
The Locator:
The Cat Slept On The Windowsill
The Locator requires a "Be" Linking Verb
Slept = Intransitive Action Verb
The Cat is small
The Cat is asleep under the couch
Linking Verb
[Sunbathing] [Warm] [Cat] [Windowsill] [On] [The] [The] [Feels]
The Descriptor -- The sunbathing cat feels warm on the windowsill
The bread tastes stale
The Describer
The Describer
The little boy felt the grass
Grass is a direct object; Felt is being used as a transitive action verb
The Cat slept on the window sill
Pattern 4
The Cat smelled clean
Linking Verb
[Appears] [Cat] [After] [Toy] [Playing] [The] [The] [Tired] [With]
The Descriptor -- The Cat appears tired after playing with the toy
The cat is on the fence
The Locator
The Interaction:
I fell over the fence
No Direct Object
"Over The Fence" is a prepositional phrase
The Cat tasted the milk
Pattern 5
The Cat smelled the flowers
Transitive Action Verb
[Looked] [Cat] [Ball] [Yarn] [Curiously] [Of] [Unraveling] [The] [The] [At]
The Action --
(1) The Cat Looked Curiously At The Unraveling Ball of Yarn
(2) Curiously, The Cat Looked At The Unraveling Ball of Yarn
(3) The Cat Curiously Looked At The Unraveling Ball of Yarn
I sent my mom a package
The Exchange
The Exchange:
I gave my test to the teacher
"to the teacher" is a prepositional phrase, not an indirect object
They left the kitchen a mess
Pattern 7
The Cat jumped on the fence
Intransitive Action Verb
[Cat] [Mom] [Toy] [Left] [Gift] [The] [The] [The] [As]
The Exchange -- The Cat Left The Mom The Toy As A Gift
The Ref flagged the play
The Interaction
I thought the movie was bad
2 verbs = 2 clauses
[I thought] + [The Movie Was Bad]