What are the objectives of this particular post?
1. To help readers recognize how to differentiate the complement from the adverb of place in a sentence.
2. To help readers know if they have correctly identified the indirect object and direct object in a given sentence where they appear together.
3. To help readers know if they have correctly identified the direct object and object complement in a given sentence where they appear together.
How do you recognise the complement in a sentence? We have mentioned that the complement tells you who/what the subject is, not what the subject does.
The complement will answer the question who/what after verbs such as is, was, are, were, became, seem. These verbs are called linking verbs. Some examples are shown below:
1. John is a medical doctor.
(John is WHAT?)
2. John was my classmate.
(John was WHAT?)
3. John and James are my classmates.
(John and James are WHAT?)
4. John and James were my classmates.
(John and James were WHAT?)
5. John became a medical doctor.
(John became WHAT?)
6. Her condition seems critical.
(Her condition seems WHAT?)
7. I am a foremost writer.
(I am WHAT?)
But you may have to be careful, very careful. Let's see why. Consider the example below.
John is at home.
In the sentence above, we are not told what John is (so you can't apply the question: John is WHAT?) because we are told where John is. So, because the underlined expression does not answer the question who/what after the verb is, it is not a complement. It is an adverb (of place). So you have to be careful.
1a. John was my classmate.
(John was WHAT?)
1b. John was at my office.
(John was WHERE?)
2a. John and James are my classmates.
(John and James are WHAT?)
2b. John and James are outside.
(John and James are WHERE?)
3a. I am a foremost writer.
(I am WHAT?)
3b. I am in my house.
(I am WHERE?)
That is that on subject complement. We shall proceed to the next objective: how to know if the direct object and indirect object have been correctly identified in a sentence where they appear together.
The principle is to introduce an ACTION verb in between the direct object and indirect object.
God gave Moses a rod.
Sub verb iobj dobj
Moses has a rod.
My friend gave Joke some books.
Sub verb iobj dobj
Joke read some books.
Teachers give students assignments.
Sub verb iobj dobj
Students did assignments.
But then how would you know that the highlighted expressions in the sentences below are object complement? That will lead us to the third objective.
The principle is to introduce any of the following linking verbs: is, are, was and were in between the direct object and object complement. For example:
Jane found the English lessons very helpful.
Sub. vb (d)obj. obj complement
The English lessons are very helpful.
Would you try the following on your own? Please try them on your own, and guess what? Never be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are proofs that you are trying.
1. We made the players world class players.
Sub. vb (d)obj. obj complement
2. Those boys made their parents proud.
Subject verb (d)obj |
obj complement
3. Viewers found the movie interesting.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
4. That attitude made all the students pacesetters.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
5. The coach made the players geniuses.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
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