Syntax

Verb patterns: verb + noun + noun

The following three groups of verbs follow the pattern verb + noun + noun.

Verbs to talk about naming someone or something are name, call and declare.

	Verb	Noun	Noun
His parents decided to	name	him	Paul.
We	called	our daughter	Melissa.
The government	declared	the building	a national monument.

 

Verbs to talk about nominating someone for a particular position are make, appoint, elect and vote.

	Verb	Noun	Noun
My boss	made	me	Head of the department.
James	appointed	Stella	sales manager.
They all	elected	Betty	worker of the year.
We decided to	vote	him	new president of the association.

 

A verb to say what you think about someone or something is consider.

	Verb	Noun	Noun
Doctors	consider	smoking	a danger.

 

All of these verbs can be in the active or the passive.

• The book made him an overnight success. (active)
• He will be nominated headmaster of the school. (passive)