ABSTRACT
As we have seen, it is the verb that determines the structure of clauses: which elements can be included and which cannot. This mainly involves the use of objects, predicatives and (to a small extent) adverbials, but can also be extended to subjects (e.g. to the use of there and it, as in It is raining and There seems to be a problem). This is the 'pattern' of the verb. (It is sometimes called 'verb complementation'.)
