My background is in second language acquisition, so the following is
based on my experience of teaching non-native speakers.

I don't use the category "clause pattern."  Rather, I discuss the kind
of complement verbs can take.  Clause patterns are merely a
generalization about the range of complement types for verbs.  When we
learn a verb, we have to learn what the nature of its complement is.  

The notion of "clause pattern" provides no assistance in understanding
why the learner produced a particular non-target-like structure.
 
I have no problem in labeling the obligatory locative, usually a
prepositional phrase for put, a complement.  

If we understand complement as a form necessary to "complete" the verb
phrase, then I do not understand the objection to saying some verbs
require a prepositional phrase to "complete" them. 

BE is interesting because it can have prepositional phrases, adjective
phrases, and noun phrases in the complement. 

Bob Yates
University of Central Missouri  

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