1. Complements
English III

2. What are the two basic building blocks of a sentence?
Subject
Nouns
What are the two basic building blocks of a sentence?
Predicate
Verb
Harry swims.

3. Keeping that in mind, are these complete sentences?
Harry always sends
Harry always sends short texts.
The dog always eats.
I think Shayla.

4. What is a complement?
A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of the predicate of a sentence.
Predicate: the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject
Josh went to the store.

5. Types of complements Direct objects Indirect objects
Object complements
Predicate nominatives
Predicate adjectives
The first three types occur in sentences that have transitive verbs
Transitive verbs: An action verb that has a direct object.
Josh kicked Juan under the table.
The last two types are also called subject complements.
Found only with linking verbs.

6. Direct Objects
These are the most common type out of the five complements.
Direct objects: noun, pronoun, or group of words acting as a noun that receives the action of a transitive verb.
I visited the Statue of Liberty.
I visited what? The Statue of Liberty
The storm caused mass damage.
The storm caused what? Damage
If you are unsure if the verb is transitive or intransitive, put the verb into a question using “What” or “whom”.
The toy spun around the room.
The toy spun what? No answer: intransitive

7. Direct Objects
In inverted questions, direct objects can appear before the verb.
Rearrange the inverted question in subject-verb order to find the direct object easier.
What shows did they watch?
They watch what shows?
They watched what? Shows
Compound direct objects: more than one direct object. You can still ask “whom” or “what”, but you will have more than one answer.
The musicians played trumpets and percussion.
The musicians played what? Trumpets and percussion.

8. Indirect Objects
Indirect objects only in sentences that contain transitive verbs and direct objects. Like direct object, you can have a compound indirect object.
Ask the questions: to or for whom? Or to or for what?
You will typically see indirect objects with the verbs: ask, bring, buy, give, lend, make, show, teach, tell, and write.
Examples:
The teacher gave the student the final paper.
Direct Object: Gave student what? Paper
Indirect Object: The teacher gave the paper to whom? The student
They bought their new dog a toy.
Direct object: Bought what? Toy
Indirect object: Bought a toy for what? Dog

9. Indirect Object
Indirect objects almost always appear between the verb and the direct object.
With correct subject-verb order, the indirect object never follows the direct object. It will, also, never be the object of the prepositions to or for.
Isaac mailed the book to me.
Direct Object: Mailed what? Book
Mail the book who? TO me.
This is not the I.O. but the object of preposition. To who? To me.
Isaac mailed me the book
Indirect Object: Mailed who? Me
Isaac mailed me a book to read.
Indirect Object: Mailed who? Me.
Object of Prep: to what? Read.

10. Object Complement
An object complement almost always follows a direct object, unlike indirect objects.
An object complement is an adjective or noun that appears with a direct object and describes or renames it.
Object complements occur with verbs such as: appoint, call, consider, declare, elect, judge, label, make, name, select, and think.
The words “to be” can often be put in front of the object complement.
The teacher appointed him leader.
Direct Object: Appointed who? Him
Remember: Indirect Object has to have a direct object.
C.O.: appointed him to be leader.

11. Object Complement Continued examples
The organizers of prom declared it successful in the end.
Direct Objects: Declared what? It
Object Complement: declared it to be successful
I consider Bonnie a loyal friend and a great writer.
Direct object: Consider who? Bonnie
Object complement: Bonnie to be a loyal friend
Object complement: Bonnie to be a great writer.

12. Subject Complements Subject complements must have a linking verb.
A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that appears with a linking verb and gives more information about the subject.
Predicate nominative
Predicate adjective

13. Predicate Nominative
Predicate Nominative refers to the same person, place, or thing as the subject of the sentence
They may be a noun or pronoun that appears with a linking verb (mostly forms of be) and renames, identifies, or explains the subject. You can have a compound predicate nominative.
She is a musician in the local band.
Linking verb: is
Predicate Nominative: musician
Frankie was a border collie mix.
Linking verb: was
Predicate Nominative: border collie mix
List of linking verbs on page

14. Predicate Adjectives
A predicate adjective is an adjective that appears with a linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence. Some sentences may contain a compound predicate adjective.
Your reasoning seems fair
Linking verb: seems
Predicate adjective: fair
The linebacker was fast
Linking verb: was
Predicate adjective: fast
The plants grow fast and large
Linking verb: grow
Predicate adjectives: fast and large