Complement

Definition

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of a verb or a sentence. It adds essential information to the subject or object, helping to clarify the action being described and how it relates to other elements in a sentence.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Complements can be classified into several types, including subject complements, object complements, and verb complements.
2. A subject complement follows a linking verb and describes or renames the subject, providing necessary information about it.
3. An object complement follows and modifies or renames the direct object, adding clarity about its state or identity.
4. Complements are essential for forming complete thoughts in sentences; without them, the meaning may be incomplete or unclear.
5. In English grammar, complements differ from modifiers, which add optional details but are not necessary for sentence completeness.

Review Questions

• How do subject and object complements differ in their roles within a sentence?
  • Subject complements follow linking verbs and provide essential information about the subject by describing or renaming it. In contrast, object complements come after direct objects and modify or rename them, adding clarity to their state or identity. Both types of complements enhance sentence meaning but serve distinct functions related to either the subject or object.
• What are some examples of sentences that illustrate the use of different types of complements, and what roles do they play?
  • For instance, in the sentence 'The winner is John,' 'John' is a subject complement that provides information about 'the winner.' In another example, 'They elected her president,' 'president' is an object complement that modifies 'her,' explaining what she was elected as. These examples demonstrate how complements enrich sentences by linking subjects and objects to further context.
• Evaluate the importance of complements in constructing clear and effective sentences. How do they contribute to overall communication?
  • Complements are vital for creating clear and effective sentences as they provide necessary details that complete the meaning of verbs and clarify relationships between sentence elements. Without them, sentences may convey incomplete ideas, leading to confusion. By enhancing understanding through specificity, complements play a crucial role in effective communication, allowing speakers and writers to convey their messages accurately.

Related terms

subject: The part of a sentence that indicates who or what the sentence is about, usually performing the action of the verb.

predicate: The part of a sentence that tells something about the subject, including the verb and any complements that provide additional information.

object: The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb in a sentence, often accompanied by complements to provide more context.