Looking for a Sentence Pattern in a Passage

When it comes to learning grammar, it is necessary to know the form of a sentence pattern. I used to ask students to locate the new pattern in a passage and tell me how many of such pattern they could find, for example, relative clauses or passive voice, especially when I taught in junior high school, when students learn most of the English sentence structures. This is a fun activity and students enjoyed it.

Seeing the pattern repeatedly, the students would naturally get familiar with  how it looked. And when offering the number, they were eager to know if they got it right. So when I announced the right number, those who were right would shout with glee, while those who were wrong would want to know where the mistake was. Both the students and I loved the suspense!

Of course, the form is just a part of the pattern; its function is, if not more, as important.