Complements in Grammar

Complements are essential parts of a sentence that complete the meaning of the subject or the verb. Without complements, sentences may sound incomplete or unclear because complements provide additional information about the subject or object.

What is a complement?

A complement is a word, phrase, or clause that completes the meaning of a predicate by giving more information about the subject or object. Complements can be nouns, pronouns, adjectives, or phrases that serve this function.

Types of complements

1. Subject Complement (Predicative Complement)
   A subject complement follows a linking verb (such as be, seem, become, appear) and describes or identifies the subject of the sentence. It can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective.
   • Predicate nominative: A noun or pronoun that renames or identifies the subject.
     Examples:
     "She is a teacher." (a teacher identifies she)
     "It was he who called." (he renames it)
   • Predicate adjective: An adjective that describes the subject.
     Examples:
     "The sky looks blue." (blue describes the sky)
     "He seems tired." (tired describes he)
2. Object Complement
   An object complement gives more information about the direct object. It usually follows the direct object and can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective. Object complements complete the meaning of the verb by renaming or describing the object.
   • Noun or pronoun object complements rename the object.
     Examples:
     "They elected her president." (president renames her)
     "We named the dog Max." (Max renames the dog)
   • Adjective object complements describe the object.
     Examples:
     "She painted the wall red." (red describes the wall)
     "The committee found the proposal unacceptable."
3. Complements of Prepositions
   Prepositions are usually followed by objects, which are sometimes considered complements because they complete the meaning of the prepositional phrase.
   Examples:
   "She sat on the chair." (the chair complements the preposition on)
   "He is fond of music." (music complements the preposition of)

How complements differ from objects

Complements complete the meaning of the subject or object, whereas objects receive the action of the verb. Objects can be direct or indirect, but complements specifically give additional information to complete meaning.

For example, in "She made him happy," him is the direct object, and happy is the object complement describing him.

Why are complements important?

Complements are vital because they ensure clarity and completeness in sentences. They avoid ambiguity by giving full meaning to subjects and objects, especially after linking verbs or verbs that require additional description or identification.

Summary

• Complements complete the meaning of a subject or object.
• Subject complements follow linking verbs and rename or describe the subject.
• Object complements follow direct objects and rename or describe them.
• Prepositional complements complete prepositional phrases.
• Complements make sentences complete and clear.