Understanding Complements

Mrs. Robilotto

Before we get started…

Key to getting this is identifying Action Verbs from Linking Verbs

Action Verbs expresses action:

Ex: George ate a sandwich

Linking verbs link two things together:

Ex: Charles is a firefighter

What’s a Complement?A word or a group of words.

These word(s) complete the meaning of a verb.

Example: Joey wants a puppy

How to Find the Complement

1. Find the verb

2. Find the subject by asking (“who or what does the verb?”

3. What remains is the COMPLEMENT 

Finding the Complement

Here are some examples:

John wants a car for his birthday. John is the subject, wants is the verb; the rest is the complement.

Mary is a good student. Mary is the subject, is is the verb; the rest is the complement

Types of ComplementsThere are different types of complements.

To find out which type of complement you have you have to identify what kind of verb you have.

Therefore, you need to identify the type of verb found in the sentence: ACTION or LINKING EXAMPLE: John wants a car for his birthday. (wants is action verb)

EXAMPLE: Mary is a good student.(is is a linking verb)

Types of Complements There are 4 types: Action verbs: Direct

objectIndirect object

Linking verbs: Predicate nominative

Predicate adjective

 

Direct ObjectHere are the steps to take to

find your direct object.1. Find verb. Label it AV for action verb.2. Find subject. Label it S for subject.3. Circle rest of the sentence and cross out any prepositional phrases. 4.Ask, “subject, verb, WHAT or WHOM?” The answer to the question will provide the DIRECT OBJECT.

Find the Direct Object1. Joe ate apple pie after dinner on every Thanksgiving.

2. A swimmer in training may swim five or six miles everyday.

3. During a marathon, some swimmers may lose several pounds.

4. Fatigue, pain, and huge waves challenge marathon swimmers.

5. As they swim, they endure extreme isolation.

6. The director chose Sheila to play the part of Juliet.

Indirect ObjectIf there are any words left…

5. Ask the question: “subject, verb, direct object, TO or FOR?” this answer is the indirect object; Label it IO.

 *RULE: You will NEVER have an IO without a DO. You

may have just a DO standing alone.

EXAMPLES:DO only: DO & IOJohn threw the ball. John threw Marie the ball. 

Indirect Objects: Careful!

Wally gave the new nurse the patient’s chart.

Wally gave the patient’s chart to the new nurse.

PA/PN Remember the Linking Verbs!

Common linking verbs: am, is, are, was, were

Other linking verbs: look, stay, taste, remain, grow, smell, seem, appear, feel, become, sound, turn.

BEWARE

Some of these verbs can act as ACTION or LINKING

ACTION: Mike turned the dial on the machine. (expresses action)

LINKING: Mike turned pale during the horror film (links Mike with the adjective “pale”)

Predicate Adjective/Nominative Here are the steps

when you have a linking verb in the sentence:1. Find verb. Label it LV for linking verb.2. Find subject. Label it S for subject.3. Circle rest of the sentence and cross out any prepositional phrases.

Predicate Adjective/Nominative 4. Look at what you have circled:Is there a noun inside the circle, such as “handsome boy”?

Then you have a Predicate Nominative.

b. Is there an adjective inside the circle, such as “handsome”? Then you have a Predicate Adjective.

 *RULE: If you have an adjective and a noun with a linking

verb, it is just Predicate Nominative:

Example: Sarah is a kind girl. (PN)

Predicate Adjective/NominativeExamples:

Greg is a nurse. (?) Greg is smart. (?)

Rachel is a nice girl.(?) The flowers are pretty. (?)

 The dog smelled his food. WHY NOT?