G. The structure of the clause depends on the verb.
a. An intransitive verb has the structure, the clause is complete without anything else. (e.g. John smiled): N(=noun) + V(=verb)
b. A transitive verb has the structure, transitive verbs have a noun phrase as object. (e.g. John (Noun phrase (Subject)) wanted (Verb phrase) a new bicycle (Noun phrase (Object)): N + V + N (e.g. We had been playing football.)
c. A link verb has the structure, some verbs are followed by an adjective phrase. The adjective phrase is called the complement. This pattern is N + V + Adj. (e.g. I (Noun phrase (Subject)) am feeling (Verb phrase) hungry (Adjective phrase (complement)) She looked happy.)
d. Some link verbs (be, become, seem, etc.) can have a noun phrase as a complement. This pattern is N + V + N. (e.g. Our neighbour (Noun phrase (Subject)) was (Verb phrase) a strange man (Noun phrase (complement)))
e. A phrasal verb has the structure: N + V + p + N (e.g. She gave back the money.) or N + V + N + p (e.g. She gave the money back.)
G1. Double object verbs (like, give, bring, etc.) can have two different patterns after them. (e.g. She (Noun Phrase (Subject)) gave (Verb Phrase) some money (Noun Phrase (Direct object)) to the old man (Prepositional phrase))
G2. verbs with '-ing' forms, some transitive verbs can have a noun phrase as an object. (e.g. Everybody likes good food.) or the '-ing' form of the verb. (e.g. Everybody likes eating.)
a. verbs with to '+ infinitive', some verbs have the pattern N + V + to + infinitive (e.g. They agreed to help.) Some verbs have the pattern N + V + N + to + infinitive (e.g. She told him to go home.)
G3. A clause often has one or more adverbial phrases. (e.g. The children laughed happily. (N + V + Adv); All the girls are learning English at school in the second year. (N + V + Adv + Adv); Last year Mary and the family were driving to Madrid in an old bus. (Adv + N + V + Adv + Adv); She put the flowers carefully in a vase. (N + V + N + Adv + Adv))
G4. two- and three-part verbs:
a. Some verbs consist of two words: a verb and a particle (p). These verbs have a number of patterns: N + V + p (e.g. Peter came in.); N + V + p + N (e.g. He took out his diary.); N + V + N + p (e.g. He gave the money back.)
b. Some transitive two part verbs are phrasal verbs. They have two different patterns: N + V + N + p (e.g. She gave the money back) or N + V + p + N (e.g. She gave back the money). When the object is a pronoun these verbs always have the first pattern: N + V +N + p (e.g. She gave it back He knocked it over)
c. three parts (a verb and two particles). They have the pattern: N + V + p + p + N (e.g. His girl friend walked out on him.)