UNIT 7 - SUBJECT AND OBJECT COMPLEMENTS

7.1 THE COMPLEMENT OF THE SUBJECT (Cs)

7.1.1 SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES

 It is the obligatory constituent which follows a copular verb and which cannot be made subject in a
passive clause
o Who’s that? It’s him/ It’s he
o He became a professional football player at an early age

 It does not represent a new participant, but completes the predicate by adding information about the
subject referent.

 It can be realised not only by a nominal group but also by an adjectival group (Adj. G).

 As well as be and seem, several verbs can be used to link the subject to its Complement; these add
meanings of transition (become, get, got, grow, turn) and perception (sound, smell, look) among
others. The constituent following such verbs will be considered Cs if the verb can be replaced by be
and can’t stand alone, without a change of meaning.
o I know it sounds strange, but… (=is strange) *I know it sounds
o That looks good (=is good) *That looks

 There is number agreement between the subject the subject and its Complement, and gender
agreement with a reflexive pronoun at complement, as in I am not myself today. But there are some
exceptions to number agreement:
o Ann and Peter make a good couple
o My neighbour’s dogs are a joy

 Semantic criteria are applied to explain the use of a joy in My neighbours’ dogs are a joy, since
abstractions are equally applicable to singular or plural subjects.

 A third type exemplified by expressions such as wool, cotton, rather an odd colour, the same
height/length, etc. can all be paraphrased by a PP with of (of wool, of rather an odd colour, of the
same height, etc.)

 Copular verbs predict meanings of being something, describing or identifying the subject referent. The
Cs completes the predicate by providing information about the subject with regard to its Attributes or
its identity. The identifying type is typically reversible, the attribute is not:
o The ballet was excellent (attribute) *Excellent was the ballet
o The company was the Royal Ballet (identifying) *The Royal ballet was the company

 When be is followed by an expression of location in space or time (in the park, at 11 o’clock) the Cs is
analysed as locative. Sometimes a circumstantial expression (out of order) is semantically equivalent to
an attribute one (e.g. broken).

7.1.2 Realisations of the subject complement

Attributive subject complements are realised by AdjGs and NGs. Identifying Subject Complements can be
realised by NGs and by clauses.

A. Attributive Complements (S-P-Cs)

 AdjG He is thirty years old

  NG Laura is a very lucky girl
 As + NG Her work was recognised as a great contribution to humanities

B. Identifying Complements (S-P-Cs)

 NG China is one of the world’s emergent economies

 Fin. That-clause
 Nominal relative cl.
 Nominal-fin. Bare inf. cl.
 + for + S
 Non-fin. -ing Cl. -S
 +S
Our belief is that things can only get better
She has done what he always wanted to do
The only thing I did was ask him to leave
The best plan is for you to try again
What I don’t like is getting up early in the morning
What most people prefer is others to do their job

*Ngs and AdjGs can occur as attributive or identifying Cs, in passive clauses derived from S-P-Od-Co structures:

You are regarded as the family’s best friend (We regard you as the family’s best friend)

7.2 THE COMPLEMENT OF THE OBJECT (Co)

7.2.1 SYNTACTIC AND SEMANTIC FEATURES

 It is the constituent that completes the predicate when certain verbs such as find, make and appoint
lead us to specify some characteristic of the Direct Object. The Co is normally placed immediately after
the direct object
o Your (S) are driving (P) me (Od) crazy (Co).

 There is number agreement between the Od and the nominal group realising the Co
 Circumstances (S) have made (P) the sisters (Od) enemies (Co)
o But there are some exceptions: expressions of size, shape, colour, height, etc.
 You haven’t made the pants the same colour as the jacket

 The Co can characterise the Od by a qualitative attribute or by a substantive attribute expressing the
name or status of the object referent
o The Police found the criminal unwilling to declare (Qualitative)
o They have appointed Andrew as president (substantive)
o The kids left the room in a mess (Circumstantial)

 Sometimes a Co realised by a prepositional phrase (The kids left the room in a mess) is similar in
meaning to an adjectival complement (The kids left the room untidy). We can distinguish its status as
Complement from the superficially similar realisation by an optional Adjunct (in ten minutes in The
kids left the room in ten minutes) by the intensive relationship linking the Od and its complement. This
can be tested by paraphrase with be (the room was in a mess; *The room was in ten minutes).

7.2.2 Realisations of the object complement

Attributive Object Complements can be realised by:

 AdjG A sedative pill will quickly make you sleepy
 NG Her parents consider her a mastermind
 Finite nominal cl. Do whatever you want
 Non-finite -en cl. The kidnappers had the family locked up in the house

Nominal Co elements are sometimes introduced by the prepositions as or for, and are then analysed as
‘oblique’ Object Complements. Thus, the relationship between the NG and the verb is not direct, but mediated
by a preposition. Some verbs require it and for others like consider it is optional.
as+ NG Her friends regard her as their guru.
for + NG Do you take me for a complete fool?