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Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
COMPLEMENTS
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning begun by the subject and verb
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• Example– Snow blanketed the sidewalk.
• Snow (subject)• Blanketed (verb)• Sidewalk (complement)• If we just had the subject and the verb
(snow blanketed), the sentence would be incomplete.
• The complement tells us what was blanketed by the snow.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• Like the subject of a sentence, a complement is never part of a prepositional phrase.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• Example– He ate one of the sandwiches.
• The complement is one, not sandwiches; sandwiches is part of the prepositional phrase
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• An adverb modifying a verb is not a complement.
• Complements may be nouns, pronouns, or adjectives.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Complements
• Example – She plays hard.
• Hard is an adverb, modifying how she plays and is therefore not a complement.
– The baseball is hard.• Hard, here an adjective, is a complement.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
The Subject Complement
• A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb. It identifies, describes, or explains the subject.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
The Subject Complement
• Examples– Jim is a good student.
• Student identifies the subject, Jim.
– Lisa is humble.• Humble identifies the subject, Lisa
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Types of Subject Complements
• Predicate Nominative– If the subject complement is a noun or
pronoun, it is a predicate nominative
• Predicate Adjective– If the subject complement is an
adjective, it is called a predicate adjective
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Types of Subject Complements
• Examples – Jim is a good student.
• student is a noun and therefore a predicate nominative
– Lisa is humble.• humble is an adjective and therefore a
predicate adjective
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Distinguishing BetweenSubject and Complement
• When the sentence is not composed in the traditional order (Subject + Verb+ Complement), it may be difficult to tell the subject from the complement
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Distinguishing BetweenSubject and Complement
• Verb + Subject + Complement– Was he the donor of the organs?
• Was—Verb• He—Subject• Donor—Complement
• Usually, the subject comes before the complement.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Distinguishing BetweenSubject and Complement
• Complement Coming First– How strange is life!
• Strange—Complement• Is—Verb• Life—Subject
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Distinguishing BetweenSubject and Complement
• Helpful Hint– Consider which word is more likely to
be the subject of the sentence– Use common sense!
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Assignment
• Please rewrite the following sentences. For each sentence, underline the simple subject one time; underline the simple predicate two times; and circle the subject complement. Finally, identify the subject complement as predicate nominate (PN) or predicate adjective (PA).
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Assignment
1. Are those girls your cousins?2. How friendly everyone seems!3. Ginger is a superb athlete.4. The Canterbury Tales is a great
poem.5. How bright the stars seem tonight.
Geschke--English IV Grammar Unit--
Complements
Assignment
6. What a fine cook your mother is!7. When does a house become a
home?8. Our dog is usually friendly.9. Mr. Thomas was a teacher of
extraordinary dedication.10. Borat is a great movie.
