Overview of Subject Complements

Overview of Subject Complements

• Subject complements are expressions that follow a linking verb and describe or rename the subject of the sentence. They add detail about the subject, specifying what it is or what it is like.

• Linking verbs do not show action; they connect the subject to a description or renaming word. Common linking verbs include: be, seem, appear, become, feel, look, sound, smell, taste, etc.

Types of Subject Complements

• Predicative Nominative: This complement renames the subject, functioning as a noun or pronoun.

  • Example: The car is a masterpiece. ("Masterpiece" renames "car.")

• Predicative Adjective: This complement describes the subject, acting as an adjective. It details the subject's characteristics or qualities.

  • Example: The dog is happy. ("Happy" describes the dog's emotional state.)

Identifying Subject Complements

• To identify a subject complement, first pinpoint the subject and the linking verb.
• Then, locate the expression following the linking verb. This is the subject complement.

Examples of Subject Complements (with explanations)

• Example 1: The author remained hopeful.

  • Subject: Author
  • Linking Verb: remained
  • Subject Complement: hopeful (describes the author's state of mind)

• Example 2: My sister is patient.

  • Subject: Sister
  • Linking Verb: is
  • Subject Complement: patient (describes a characteristic of the sister)

• Example 3: The project looked promising.

  • Subject: project
  • Linking Verb: looked
  • Subject Complement: promising (describes the likely outcome of the project)

Importance of Recognizing Subject Complements

• Understanding subject complements allows accurate sentence analysis and comprehension.
• Proper identification clarifies the full meaning of the sentence by specifying what the subject is or how it is.

Contrast with Object Complements

• Subject complements follow linking verbs, detailing the subject. Object complements, in contrast, follow action verbs, describing or renaming the direct object.

Common Errors & Pitfalls

• Misidentifying linking verbs as action verbs leads to incorrect complement identification.
• Complex sentence structures can confuse subject and linking verb identification.
• Subject complements can be mistaken for adverbs or prepositional phrases.

Practice Identifying Subject Complements

• Example 1: The cat felt playful.

  • Subject: cat
  • Linking Verb: felt
  • Subject Complement: playful

• Example 2: My dream remained a mystery.

  • Subject: dream
  • Linking Verb: remained
  • Subject Complement: mystery

Summary

• Subject complements are essential for clarifying and expanding the meaning of a sentence's subject.
• They often follow linking verbs and are either predicative nominatives (renaming the subject) or predicative adjectives (describing the subject).
• Accurate identification contributes to precise sentence analysis and comprehension.
• Distinguishing between subject and object complements enhances grammatical understanding.