Complement
A complement is a word, phrase or clause that is necessary to
complete the meaning of a given expression.
In grammar, a complement is a word or word group that
completes the predicate in a sentence. In clauses with linking
verbs (be, seem, become), complements follow the verb.
In contrast to modifiers, which are optional, complements are
required to complete the meaning of a sentence or a part of a
sentence.
There are two common types of complements: subject
complements (which follow the verb be and other linking verbs)
and object complements (which follow a direct object).
Two types of complements:
Subject complements
My uniform is torn and dirty.
My uniform is a T-shirt and jeans.
"Imagination is the one weapon in the war against
reality."(Jules de Gaultier)
Object complements
Jimmy's teacher called him a troublemaker.
The teacher's remark made me angry.
"The widow she cried over me, and called me a poor lost
lamb and she called me a lot of other names, too."
(Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885)
Subject Complements
"Subject complements” rename or describe the subjects of
sentences. In other words, they complement the subjects.
Many of these complements are nouns, pronouns, or other
nominals that rename or provide additional information about
the subject of the sentence. They always follow linking verbs. A
less contemporary term for a noun, pronoun, or other nominal
used as a subject complement is predicate nominative.
He is the boss.
Nancy is the winner.
This is she.
My friends are they.
In the first example, the subject complement boss explains the
subject he. It tells what he is. In the second example, the subject
complement winner explains the subject Nancy. It tells what
Nancy is. In the third example, the subject complement she
renames the subject this. It tells who this is. In the final example,
the subject complement they identifies the subject friends. It tells
who the friends are.
"Other subject complements are adjectives that modify the
subjects of sentences. They also follow linking verbs. A less
contemporary term for an adjective used as a subject
complement is predicate adjective.
My coworkers are friendly.
This story is exciting.
In the first example, the subject complement friendly modifies
the subject coworkers. In the second example, the subject
complement exciting modifies the subject story."
Different words can be used as subject complements.
Examples: Noun- He is John.
Pronoun- My friends are they.
Participle- The book is interesting. (S+V+PARTICIPLE)
Adjective- She is happy. S+V+C
Possessive- The book is mine.
Infinitive- The baby seems to cry. (S+V+INFINITIVE)
Object Complements
"An object complement always follows the direct object and
either renames or describes the direct object. Consider this
sentence:
She named the baby Bruce.
The verb is named. To find the subject, ask, 'Who or what
named?' The answer is she, so she is the subject. Now ask,
'Whom or what did she name?' She named the baby, so baby is
the direct object. Any word following the direct object that
renames or describes the direct object is an object complement.
She named the baby Bruce, so Bruce is the object complement."
"The object complement characterizes the object in the same
way as the subject complement characterizes the subject: it
identifies, describes, or locates the object (as in We chose Bill as
group leader, We consider him a fool, She laid the baby in the
crib), expressing either its current state or resulting state (as in
They found him in the kitchen vs. She made him angry). It is not
possible to delete the object complement without either radically
changing the meaning of the sentence (e.g. She called him an
idiot - She called him) or making the sentence ungrammatical
(e.g. He locked his keys in his office - *He locked his keys).
Note that be or some other copula verb can often be inserted
between the direct object and the object complement (e.g. I
consider him to be a fool, We chose Bill to be group leader,
They found him to be in the kitchen)."
Different words can be used as object complements:
Examples: Noun- We elected him captain. She named the baby
Bruce. S+V+O+OC
Adjective- She made him angry.
Participle- We found him sleeping. S+V+O+Participle
Possessive- They thought it their own.
Infinitive- We thought him to be dead. S+V+O+Infinitive
Multiple Meanings of Complement
"Complement is one of the most confusing terms in scientific
grammar. Even in one grammar, we can find it being used in
two ways:
a) as one of the five so-called 'clause elements' , (alongside
subject, verb, object and adverbial):
(20) My glass is empty. (Subject complement)
(21) We find them very pleasant. (Object complement)
b) as a part of a prepositional phrase, the part that follows the
preposition
(22) on the table
"The word 'complement' is also used in a wider sense. We
often need to add something to a verb, noun, or adjective to
complete its meaning. If somebody says I want, we expect to
hear what he or she wants; the words the need obviously don't
make sense alone; after hearing I'm interested, we may need to
be told what the speaker is interested in. Words and expressions
which 'complete' the meaning of a verb, noun, or adjective are
also called 'complements.'
Many verbs can be followed by noun complements or -ing forms
with no preposition ('direct objects'). But nouns and adjectives
normally need prepositions to join them to noun or -ing form
complements."
(Michael Swan, Practical English Usage. Oxford University
Press, 1995)
I want a drink, and then I want to go home.
Does she understand the need for secrecy?
I'm interested in learning to fly.
Complements and adjuncts
Complements and adjuncts are different. A complement is
necessary in order to complete the meaning. An adjunct is not
necessary, and adds extra information.
Compare
He put the cake
in the oven. put must have a complement to say where
something is put. Without the complement, the
Not: He put the clause would not be complete.
cake.
We usually go in the spring is an adjunct. It is not essential to
away in the complete the verb ‘go away’; it adds extra
spring. information.
