VERB PATTERN 7 The governor set the prisoners free

The governor set free all the prisoners whose of fences were
In this pattern the verb is followed by an object (noun of pronoun) merely political
and a predicative adjective that modifies the object. Very often the
adjective denotes a state or a condition that results from the action
indicated by the verb, as in the first ten examples. And sometimes 3. When cut short is used, the adjective may precede even a short
the adjective indicates a condition at the time indicated by the object, but not a personal pronoun.
verb, as in the last examples.
He cut short the introduction
Example : But : He cut it short
Subject + Verb Object Adjective
1. Can you push The door Open ? 4. When the object is a that clause, a dependent question, or a to-
2. We had to break The trunk Open infinitive, preparatory IT is used. It is placed between the verb
3. The cat licked The saucer Clean and the adjective. For example :
4. We hammered (beat) The iron Flat
5. She boiled The eggs Hard He made it clear that he objected to the proposal.
6. They beat The poor boy Black and blue You haven’t made it clear whether I am to go or not
7. The sun keeps Us Warm The blister on my heel made it painful to walk
8. You’d better pack The dresses Flat
9. Open Your mouth Wide 5. Examples of the passive construction :
10. The blister on my Walking Painful No. 2 : The trunk had to be broken open
heel made No. 4 : The iron was hammered (beaten) flat
11. I found The box Empty No. 8 : The dresses had better be packed flat.
12. I hope I see you Well
6. Verbs commonly used in Vp 7 are :
Notes :
1. No. 3 means : “The saucer was clean because the cat licked it” Bake (eg. Bake it hard) Beat Boil
(a result) Burn (eg. Burn it black) Colour Cut
But No. 11 means : “I found the box and it was empty when I Drive (drive her mad) Dye Fill
found it.” It is not the same as” I found the empty box.” Find Get Hammer
(Explain the difference!). Keep Leave Lick
Similarly : Like Make Paint
No. 12 means : “I hope you are well (now, when I see you).” See Set Sweep
Turn Want Wash
2. If the object is a long one, the adjective ma precede it. Wipe Wish
Compare :
 2. made they made the car blue
3. good they made the car good
4. shoes they made the shoes good
5. muddy they made the shoes muddy
6. clean (adj) they made the shoes clean
7. kept they kept the shoes clean
8. house they kept the house clean
Exercise 1 : (To practise this pattern in statements) Substitute 9. clothes they kept the clothes clean
the following words. For example : 10. wash they wash the clothes clean

THEY WASHED THE CLOTHES WHITE Exercises 2 : (To practise using this pattern from other
Table They washed the table White statements). Change the following sentences to fit the pattern. For
Painted They painted the table blue example :
blue The boys washed their shirts until they were clean.
- the boys washed their shirts clean.
Continue : I like hot coffee
1. car 6. kept 11. busy - I like my coffee hot. (with a difference of meaning)
2. house 7. boy (obj) 12. lively 1. He cut my hair. It was short when he had finished.
3. brown 8. happy 13. made He cut my hair short
4. wanted 9. interested (adj) 14. program 2. Mr. Smith painted the house. He used green paint.
5. clean (adj) 10. class 15. interesting Mr. Smith painted the house green paint
3. God created men. Men are equal.
1. they painted the car blue God created men equal
2. they painted the house black and white 4. He pushed the door. It was open after he had pushed it.
3. they bought the bag brown He pushed the door open
4. they wanted walk fasly 5. You have to break the trunk, so that it is open.
5. they wash their clothes clean You have to break the trunk open
6. they kept the tree big 6. The cat licked the plate until it was clean.
7. they said the boy tall The cat licked the plate clean
8. they made the girl happy 7. The iron was flat because the blacksmith had hammered it.
9. they watched the movie interested The iron was flat hammered
10. they kept the class clean 8. Because of the cold weather, the leaves turn yellow.
11. they run to the field busy The leaves turn yellow cold weather
12. 9. They beat the boy until he was black and blue.
Continue and write : They beat the boy black and blue.
1. found they found the car blue 10. We are warm. The sun has kept us so.
 The sun has kept us warm
The Governor set the prisoners free. (all the prisoners in the
Exercises 3 : (To practise using this pattern in answers to country)
question). Answer the following questions using the suggested - The Governor set free all the prisoners in the country
word. For example :
1. He made his meaning clear. (his objection to the proposal)
How do you like your coffee ? (black) He made clear his objection to the proposal
- I like my coffee black. 2. She flung the window open. (all the windows in the house)
What colour did he paint his house ? (green) She flung open all the windows in the house
- He painted his house green. 3. She swept the room clean. (very room in the hotel)
She swept clean very room in the hotel
1. How did she cut her hair ? (short) 4. He slit the envelope open. (all the envelopes addressed to him)
She cut her hair short He slit open all the envelopes addressed to him
2. What colour did Mary paint her finger nail? (pink) 5. We packed the clothes flat. (our pyjamas, suits and shirts)
Mary paint her finger nail pink We packed flat our pyjamas, suits and shirts
3. When did the teacher want their work ready (by tomorrow) 6. The sun keeps us warm. (everybody in the town)
The teacher want their work ready by tomorrow The sun warm keeps everybody in the town
4. How did they find the cupboard? (full of clothes) 7. He set the people free. (those who were proved innocent)
They find the cupboard full of clothes He set free those who were proved innocent
5. How should I pack my dresses ? (flat) 8. She made the explanation clear. (whatever she explained to
I pack my dresses flat them)
6. How did she boil the eggs ? (hard) She made clear whatever she explained to them
She boil the eggs hard 9. The cat licked the soucer clean. (all the dishes in the kitchen)
7. How did they beat the boy ? (black and blue) The cat licked clean all the dishes in the kitchen
They beat the boy black and blue 10. They cut it short. (the introduction to the lesson)
8. How should he open the door ? (wide) They cut short the introduction to the lesson
He open the door wide
9. What colour have you painted your house ? (green) Exercise 5 : (To practise this pattern with preparatory IT).
You painted your house green Substitute the suggested words for the object. Use preparatory IT
10. What time do you want this work ready (by 8 o’clock) and make the necessary changes. For example :
You want this work ready by 8 o’clock
He made everything clear. (He objected to the proposal)
Exercises 4 : (To practise this pattern with the adjective preceding - He made it clear that he objected to the proposal.
the object). Make a corresponding statement using the ceding the The blister on my heel made walking painful. (to walk).
object). Make a corresponding statement using the suggested - The blister on my heel made it painful to walk.
object, and make the necessary changes. For example : He made the meaning clear. (Am I to go?)
 - He made it clear whether I was to go or not. The trunk should have been broken by us
2. They have broken the trunk open
1. I found the lesson easy. (to do the exercises). The trunk have been broken by our
I found it easy to do the exercise 3. The governor set the prisoners free
2. He made the problems easy. (to uncerstand his lessons) The prisoners set been _______________________________
He made it easy to understand his lesson 4. He made it clear whether I was to go or not
3. They haven’t made the questions clear. (Should I teach her ?) __________________________________________________
They haven’t made it clear i should teach her 5. They boiled the eggs hard
4. She didn’t make the meaning clear. (What did she mean ?) __________________________________________________
She didn’t make it clear she does mean 6. The blacksmith has beaten the iron flat
5. I’ve made everything clear. (I didn’t agree to his proposal) __________________________________________________
I’ve made it clear I didn’t agree to his proposal
6. She found the question difficult. (to make a decision) 7. You shouldn’t make it difficult to understand your lesson
She found it difficult to make a decision __________________________________________________
7. Visual aids make teaching easy. (To present the lesson) 8. She found the cupboard empty
Visual aids make it easy To present the lesson __________________________________________________
8. The teacher has made the explanation clear. (I don’t have to 9. John has made it clear that he is not guilty
teach here) __________________________________________________
The teacher has made it clear I don’t have to teach here 10. They beat the thief black and blue
9. This program makes the lesson interesting. (to teach in the __________________________________________________
elementary school)
This program makes it interesting to teach in the elementary
school.
10. Lack of vocabulary makes reading difficult. (to understand
what we read)
Lack of vocabulary makes it difficult to understand what we
read

Exercise 6 : (To practise this pattern in the passive construction).

The cat licked the saucer clean.