The noun phrase/clause as complement
Note: complement, not compliment
Do not confuse the word complement with compliment. A complement is something that completes something else. Compliment, on the other hand, means a pleasing or flattering remark made about another person.
The complement provides complete information about the subject or object. When the information provided is about the subject, it is referred to as SUBJECT COMPLEMENT. However, when the information provided is about the object, it is referred to as OBJECT COMPLEMENT. Let's discuss the subject complement first.
The complement tells you WHO/WHAT THE SUBJECT IS, not what the subject does in a given sentence. For example:
1. John is a medical doctor.
Sub. vb complement
We have identified the subject as John; it is the complement (underlined above) that tells you who John (the subject) is.
2. Ibadan is the largest city in West Africa.
Sub. vb complement
We have identified the subject as Ibadan; it is the complement (underlined above) that tells you what Ibadan (the subject) is.
3. Nimi Akinkugbe is a financial expert.
4. Ben Carson is a foremost neurosurgeon.
5. Military officers are very disciplined.
Apart from noun phrases and noun clauses, the following can function as (subject) complement:
1. Adjectives
2. (Reflexive) Pronouns
3. Proper nouns
4. Plural nouns
1. Adjectives as (subject) complement
1. John is brilliant.
2. That girl is beautiful.
3. Boys are stubborn.
4. Boys can be stubborn.
2a. (Reflexive) Pronouns as (subject) complement
1. The man likes himself.
2. She will hate herself.
3. An adverb can modify itself.
(This example implies that an adverb can modify another adverb.)
2b. Pronouns as (subject) complement
1. That is her.
2. This is it.
3. Proper nouns as (subject) complement
1. The largest city in Africa is Cairo.
2. My name is Banji.
3. One of my favourite movies is Acrimony.
4. The name of my best friend is Lizzy.
5. My favourite footballer is Messi.
4. Plural nouns as complement
1. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan are friends.
2. Ade and Lola are colleagues.
3. Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka are contemporaries.
4. They are doctors.
What is the difference between the complement and the object?
In our previous discussion, we mentioned that the object will usually answer the question WHO/WHAT after AN ACTION VERB in a sentence.
On the other hand, the complement TELLS YOU WHO/WHAT THE SUBJECT IS, not what the subject does. Let's consider the following examples:
1. Jay Jay Okocha kicked the ball.
Subject l obj
action verb
2. Jay Jay Okocha is a former footballer.
Subject vb complement
In example (1), we are told what Jay Jay Okocha (the subject) did, but in example (2), we are told who Jay Jay Okocha (the subject) is?
1. His neighbour drove a brand new car.
Subject l obj
action verb
2. His neighbour is the owner of the brand new car.
Subject vb complement
QUICK EXERCISE
Identify if the underlined expressions in the sentences below are objects or complements.
1. Jane and John are relatives.
2. The butcher killed a bull.
3. My dad has a Rolex wristwatch.
4. Travis is an avid reader.
5. The class captain read a poem.
Noun clause as subject complement
1. My friend is what he is (by the grace of God.)
2. It is (exactly) what I said about him.
***That is what he told me.
***This is what he is trying to say.
The noun clause functioning as subject complement can be replaced with proper nouns. For example:
1. My friend is what he is (by the grace of God.)
My friend is Ali.
2. It is (exactly) what I said about him.
It is Ali.
**That is what he told me.
**That is Mary.
**This is what he is trying to say.
**This is Mary.
If there are questions on the last two examples, you may wish to contact me. We shall proceed to discuss the object complement.
Like the subject complement, the object complement will tell you WHO/WHAT THE OBJECT IS.
Jane found the English lessons very helpful.
Sub. vb (d)obj. obj complement
We made the players world class players.
Sub. vb (d)obj. obj complement
Noun clause as object complement
1. My mother made her children who they are today.
Sub. vb (d)obj obj complement
2. I made them that which I wanted.
S verb (d)obj obj complement
3. We made the players what they are today.
Sub. vb (d)obj obj complement
Apart from noun phrases/clauses, the following can function as complement:
1. Nouns
1. The coach made the players geniuses.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
2. That attitude made all the students pacesetters.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
2. Adjectives:
1. Those boys made their parents proud.
Subject verb (d)obj |
obj complement
2. Viewers found the movie interesting.
Subject verb (d)obj obj comp.
3. Pronouns:
We made the local boys something (worthwhile).
Sub. verb (d)obj obj comp.
In the subsequent post, I shall will provide detailed explanations on how to differentiate the direct object and indirect object from the complement.
Previous posts on the functions of the noun phrase and noun clause
The noun phrase as subject http://olabanjititles.blogspot.com/2019/10/english-titles-functions-of-noun.html?m=1
The noun phrase as object 1
The noun phrase as indirect object 2
The noun phrase as apposition
2 Comments
Hello there ,
ReplyDeleteNoun phrases that function as an object of preposition ALWAYS come after a preposition .
For example :
I stayed in the hotel .[the hotel is a noun phrase functioning as an object of prep ]
Brilliant submission.
Delete