Check your comprehension. Answer all the questions.
Complement in English
In English grammar, a complement is a word or phrase that completes the meaning of a sentence. It is required to make the sentence grammatically whole. Complements can be categorized into different types based on their function within the sentence.
Types of Complements
Subject Complement
A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb (such as “is,” “are,” “seems,” “becomes”) and describes or identifies the subject of the sentence. It provides more information about the subject.
Key Points:
- Follows linking verbs like “is,” “am,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “seem,” “become,” etc.
- Can be a noun, pronoun, adjective, or phrase that renames or describes the subject.
Example:
The soup is delicious.
In this sentence, “delicious” is a subject complement that describes the subject “soup.”
Object Complement
An object complement is a word or phrase that directly follows and describes or renames a direct object. It provides additional information about the object.
Key Points:
- Follows and modifies the direct object of a verb.
- Can be a noun, pronoun, adjective, or phrase.
Example:
They elected him president.
Here, “president” is an object complement that renames the direct object “him.”
Examples of Complements
Subject Complement:
The day was sunny.
Sunny describes the subject “day.”
Object Complement:
We found the movie entertaining.
Entertaining describes the direct object “movie.”
Identifying Complements
To identify complements in a sentence:
- Look for linking verbs (for subject complements) or verbs followed by direct objects (for object complements).
- Ask what or who after the verb to find subject complements.
- Ask what or who after the direct object to find object complements.
Example:
She is a doctor.
Doctor is a subject complement because it describes “she.”
Further Examples
Subject Complement:
The cake smells delicious.
Delicious describes the subject “cake.”
Object Complement:
They considered the idea interesting.
Interesting describes the direct object “idea.”
Conclusion
Understanding complements is crucial for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences in English. They enhance the information provided by the subject and object, thereby enriching the overall clarity and depth of communication.