What Is an Adjective Complement?
You know what an adjective is, right? Now, what is an adjective complement?
Simply put, it's a clause or phrase that modifies an adjective or adds to its
meaning. An adjective complement usually consists of a noun clause or a
prepositional phrase.
Types of Adjective Complements
An adjective complement is a functional part of a sentence that completes, or
complements, the adjective. As mentioned, it can be a noun clause or a
prepositional phrase.
Noun Clause
A noun clause is simply two or more words that function as a noun. It should
have a subject and a verb, and, since it takes the place of a noun, it's a
dependent clause and cannot stand alone. A noun clause starts with the
words "that," "how," "if," and the "wh-" words - "what," "when," "why," etc.
when you arrived
that he is happy
where Sara went
Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition - such as "with," "about,"
"on," or "in" - and is followed by a noun, pronoun, noun phrase, pronoun
phrase, or noun clause.
with the car
under the bridge
after the show
An adjective complement always follows the adjective it complements.
Examples of Adjective Complements
The best way to understand an adjective complement is to see it in action.
And, remember, the adjective will always precede the adjective complement.
Take a look at these example sentences with the adjective complement
underlined:
She was unsure how her parents would react. (noun clause)
My boss was anxious when sales fell. (noun clause)
Are you afraid of spiders? (prepositional phrase)
We were shocked by the news. (prepositional phrase)
I was delighted that she was chosen. (noun clause)
I am very surprised about the nomination. (prepositional phrase)
The little boy was eager for Christmas to arrive. (prepositional phrase)
I am curious what color you picked. (noun clause)
It was wrong of her to leave. (prepositional phrase)
I will be happy when I get married. (noun clause)
As you start to understand the place of these clauses in a sentence and want
to see more, head over to Adjective Complement Examples.
Other Types of Complements
Adjectives are popular parts of speech, but you also have subjects, verbs,
adverbs, direct objects, and more. So, you may not be surprised to learn there
are other types of complements, too.
Three other common types are: subject complements, object complements,
and verb complements.
Subject Complements
A subject complement is one or more words which acts as an adjective or
noun and modifies or refers to the subject of the sentence. It follows linking
verbs, such as: is, are, was, become, seems, tasted, smells, and feels. For
example:
Whales are beautiful.
She is a star!
The food smells delicious.
Object Complements
An object complement is one or more words which acts as an adjective or
noun and modifies or refers to the direct object of the sentence. It follows the
direct object. For example:
The movie should keep them quiet.
I knight you Sir Peter.
The pizza party will get the students excited.
Verb Complements
Verb complements are phrases or clauses, like adjective complements. They
act as objects of other verbs, either directly or indirectly.
It's important to note that verb complements may include infinitives.
Also, gerunds and noun clauses may act as verb complements. For example:
She wanted him to go. (infinitive)
I considered leaving the Army. (gerund)
He insisted that he pay the check. (noun clause)
An Added Detail
Don't let these technical terms deter you from one central theme. An
adjective complement enhances an adjective in order to provide further
detail. That's all there is to it!
One of the simplest examples above was, "I will be happy when I get
married." What's the adjective in that sentence? Happy. Why is this person
happy? Because they are getting married. Be sure to make use of these
clauses and phrases in your writing whenever they apply; they're fantastic
methods of elaboration.
