Complements

1
Complements

• Direct objects, indirect objects, predicate
  nominative, predicate adjective

2
Transitive and intransitive verbs
There are some verbs that sound incomplete by
themselves they need an object (a noun or
pronoun) in order to make them complete.
Example Joe caught (incomplete he caught
what?) Joe caught the ball (complete the verb
caught has an object now)
The types of verbs that need an object are called
transitive verbs. Only ACTION verbs can be
transitive, since linking verbs do not show
action and therefore do not need objects to make
them complete.
Other types of verbs are just fine without an
object. These are called intransitive verbs.
Joe walked. (Sounds fine does not need an
object)
Bottom line if a verb has an object, its
transitive. If there is no object, its
intransitive. Linking verbs are always
intransitive.
3
Direct Objects
A direct object is a word or word group that
completes the meaning of a transitive verb.
Direct objects will always be nouns or pronouns,
and they are found by asking WHAT/WHO? after
the verb. (Note A direct object will never be
in a prepositional phrase, so its helpful to
cross them out or disregard them before trying to
find the direct object.)
Felicia invited me to the party.
Cross out prepositional phrases ? to the party
Ask WHAT/WHO? ? me (Felicia invited
(WHAT?WHO?) me.
A direct object may be compound (more than
one) The dog chased Eli and me through the park.
through the park ? -gt Eli
and me
4
Practice

• Locate the verb, then ask the questions to find
  the direct object.
• I borrowed my parents new camera recently.
• First I loaded the film into the camera.
• Slowly and carefully I pressed the button.
• By the end of the day, I had snapped thirty-six
  pictures.
• I put all of them in my Facebook photo album.
• The people on my friend list left fifty-two
  comments about them!
• My friend Mark sent me an email about my trip.
• I did not add Mark as a friend on Facebook.
• Mark gives me strange vibes.
• I will get a restraining order against him as
  soon as possible.

5
Indirect objects
An indirect object say TO/FOR WHOM the direct
object is for. Again, remember that an object is
a noun or pronoun and that direct objects and
indirect objects are only found with ACTION VERBS.
RULE 1 Indirect objects will always be located
between the verb and the direct object. They
will not be located anywhere else! Remember
this, and it will save you a whole lot of trouble
later on!
RULE 2 Indirect objects can only exist with
direct objects. If you dont have a DO, then you
will not have an IO.
To find the indirect object, first locate the
direct object, then ask TO/FOR WHOM? Jon sent
me a present. TO/FOR
WHOM? -gt me (note how me is between the verb
(sent) and the DO (present)
6
Indirect Objects, Continued

• Avoid confusing indirect objects (located between
  the verb and the direct object) with fake
  objects in a prepositional phrase.
• Example I gave the test to the teacher.
• (Test is your direct object when you ask to/for
  whom, you want to say to the teacher, but this
  cannot contain the indirect object because
• its in a prepositional phrase
• Its not between the verb and the indirect object

7
Practice

1. My aunt Linda sent me a present on my birthday.
2. Don Draper made the man an offer of employment.
3. The captain of the ship told the passengers his
   story of the big hurricane.
4. Mrs. Warrant will give everyone a grade for their
   work.
5. Could you show Deanna the location of her next
   class?
6. Buy me a pack of gum, please.
7. My sister gave Brian two hundred dollars to bail
   her out of jail.
8. Henry did not give his mother any respect.
9. As a result, the judge handed him a sentence of
   five thousand years in prison.
10. Henry gives his fellow prisoners sentimental
    greeting cards.

8
Objective Complements
An objective complement is a word or word group
that modifies the direct object
The objective complement may be a noun, pronoun,
or an adjective
This is easiest found by asking What? after the
direct object. The OC will be after the direct
object in the majority of cases.
Example The members elected Carlotta
secretary. WHAT? ? secretary The flood had
swept the valley clean. WHAT? ? clean
9
Subject Complements
Subject complements are words that complement the
subject. These type of complements are found
only with LINKING VERBS. Weve already dealt
with these when we talked about caveman talk.
The word we were reading with the subject was the
subject complement. It complemented the subject.

There are two types of subject complements Predic
ate nominatives a noun/pronoun Predicate
adjectives adjective
Examples I am a teacher. (I teacher) Teacher
is your subject complement. It is a PN
(predicate nominative) because teacher is a noun
Josh felt tired. (Josh tired) Tired is the
subject complement. It is a PA (predicate
adjective) because it is an adjective
10
Practice

• The package from Aunt Janice felt light.
• I am the one in the picture on the right.
• The downtown mall appeared especially busy today.
• The actor sounded excited and confident during
  the television interview.
• The actress in the lead is she.
• 6. These questions seem easier to me than the
  ones from last time.
• 7. The singers clothing became a symbol for all
  her fans.
• 8. Some poems by Edgar Allan Poe are extremely
  rhythmical.
• 9. He became unhappy and frustrated with the
  governments control of free speech.
• 10. After the large dinner, I felt very full.