Complements

A complement is one or more words used to complete the meaning of the verb in the

sentence. It is considered part of the predicate.

Direct Objects• A direct object is a word or group of words that

receives the action of an action verb in a sentence. • The direct object answers the question whom? or

what?

• In 1990 the Germans reunited their country. (reunited what?)

• Tanya debated Juan on American foreign policy. (debated whom?)

Direct Objects• The direct object may be just one word or it

may be a phrase or clause.

• Each day, Kim practices swimming a mile for next month’s triathlon. (phrase)

• Rosa knows how the word-processor operates. (clause)

Direct Objects• Do not mistake an adverb after an action verb for a direct

object

• The direct object following an action verb must tell us whom or what whereas an adverbs tells us where, when, how, or to what extent.

• The salesperson called customers all day. (direct object – call whom)

• The salesperson called patiently all day. (adverb – called how)

Indirect Objects• An indirect object is a word or group or words

that tells to whom, to what, for whom, or for what that action of the verb is performed.

• A verb can only have an indirect object if it also has a direct object and the indirect object always comes before the direct object.

Indirect Objects• The proctor gave each student two sharpened

pencils. (Students – indirect object, answers the question to whom?, Pencils is the direct object)

• Jose built his beagle a new dog house. (Beagle – the indirect object, answers the question for what? Dog house is the direct object)

Indirect Objects• Do not mistake a noun or pronoun preceded

by to or for for an indirect object. Such a noun or pronoun is the object in a prepositional phrase. The word to or for does not appear before a noun or pronoun used as an indirect object.

Indirect Objects• The subway conductor gave the visitors

directions. (Visitors is an indirect object)• The subway conductor gave directions to the

visitors. (Visitors is the object of the preposition to)

Objective Complements• Another type of complement that can occur in a

sentence with a direct object• An objective complement is always a noun or

an adjective; it follows the direct object and identifies or describes it.

• Any of these verbs (or synonyms for any of them) may take an objective complement: appoint, call, choose, consider, elect, find, make, keep, name, think)

Objective Complements• This extreme cold makes some people fearful.

(The objective complement, fearful, describes the direct object, people.)

• Ruth considers the Alvin Ailey Dance Company a unique troupe. (The objective complement, a unique troupe, describes the direct object, Alvin Ailey Dance Company.)

Subject Complements• A subject complement comes after a linking

verb and identifies or describes the subject. It can be a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective.

Subject Complements• A predicate nominative is a word or group of

words that comes after a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of a sentence. Predicate nominatives are either predicate nouns or predicate pronouns.

• The lead guitarist is also the group’s singer (predicate noun)

• The newest member of the team is she. (predicate pronoun)

Subject Complements• A predicate adjective is an adjective that

follows a linking verb and modifies the subject of a sentence.

• Darlene seems happy with her new after-school job.

Subject Complements• Gerunds can act as predicate nominatives, and

participles sometimes act as predicate adjectives. • Do not confuse such gerunds and participles with

progressive (-ing) verb forms.

• The most exciting part of our vacation last summer was rafting through the Grand Canyon. (gerund phrase as predicate nominative)

• The senator’s speech was hardly inspiring. (participle as predicate adjective)