REVIEWING COMPLEMENTS

The meaning of some sentences is complete when they contain no more than a subject
and a verb with perhaps some modifiers, as in:

I laughed or I laughed wholeheartedly

In other sentences, however, the verbs need more modifiers to complete the meaning os
sentences, as in

The storm definitely ruined… or

The marathon runners are..

These sentences require complements such as crop and exhausted to finish the meaning
of the verbs:

The storm definitely ruined the crop

The marathon runners are exhausted.

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of the predicate of a
sentence

Four different kinds of complements can be found in English sentences:

1. Direct objects;
2. Indirect objects;
3. Objective complement; and
4. Subject complements

 Direct Objects- can be found only with transitive verbs, direct objects complete verbs by
receiving the action from them.

A direct object is a noun, pronoun, or group of words acting as a noun that receives the
action of a transitive verb.

Examples:

We baked a cake.
DO
 Compound Direct Object

We baked a cake and two loaves of bread.

DO DO

To find the direct object in a sentence, ask Whom? Or what? After an action verb, If you
find no answer, the verb is intransitive verb and has no direct object.

Examples:

I was reading the book until midnight. (Was reading what?Answer: book)
A bee stung him twice. ( Stung whom? Answer: bee)

In some inverted questions, the direct object will appear near the beginning of the
sentence, before the verb. To locate the direct object in this type of question, rephrase the
question as a declarative sentence in normal word order.
Inverted question: Which jacket did you wear?
Reworded as a statement: You did wear which jacket

 Indirect Objects are found in sentences already containing direct objects.

An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that appears with a direct object with a direct
object and names the person or thing that something is given to or done for.

Indirect objects appear only with transitive action verbs. They are usually found after
such verbs as ask, bring, buy, give, lend, make, promise, show, teach, tell, or unite.

Examples:

I taught Randy the alphabet.

IO DO

We gave the car a thorough cleaning.

IO DO

To find the indirect object in a sentence, first make certain that the sentence contains a direct
object. Then ask To or for whom? Or to of for what? After the verb and direct object.
Like direct objects, indirect objects may be compound.

 Objective Complements complete the meaning of the direct object in a sentence. It occurs,
therefore, only in sentences that already contain a direct object.

An objective complement is an adjective or noun that appears with a direct object and
describes or renames it.

Objective complements are found only after such verbs as appoint, call, consider, elect, label,
make, name or think.

Examples:

We appointed Liza secretary.

DO OC

I consider her the best candidate for the job.

DO OC

To determine whether a word is an objective complement, say the verb and direct object, and
then ask What?

Example:

The professor called the student brilliant. (called the student what? Answer: brilliant)

 Subject Complements

Direct objects, indirect objects, and objective complements appear with action verbs. Subject
complements appear with linking verbs.

 A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that appears with a linking vebr
and tells something about the subject.

There are two kind of subject complements: predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives
 Predicate Nominatives. The words nominative, noun, and pronoun all came from the Latin
word, nomen, meaning “name.” Knowing this common derivation can help you remember
what a predicate nominative is.

A predicate nominative is a noun, pronoun that appears with a linking verb and renames,
identifies, or explains the subject.

Examples:

Ms. Casey became an accountant.

PN

Robert Pen Warren is a poet, novelist, and essayist.

PN PN PN

A predicate adjective is an adjective that appears with a linking verb and describes the
subject of the sentence

Examples:

Today the waves seemed wild and angry.

PA PA

The sanded plank of wood still feels rough.

PA