A noun’s many faces!

Subject of a Sentence

Tells who or what did it, does it, or will do it, or reveals who or what is being talked about (generally placed before the verb)– Examples

• The water rippled.• Sparks flew• The concert hall was a flutter with anticipation.• My hair crackled.

Complement of a Verb

A word that completes the meaning of a verb in a sentence– Complements are either direct objects,

indirect objects, or subjective or objective complements

• Example– The girl assaulted a baba in red boots and

demanded ice cream and a scarf.

Direct Object

Answers the question what? Or whom? After the verb.– Examples:

• I scratched the knee.• Let’s just split the difference.• Hold your horses.• Harriet wants an overcoat.

Indirect Object

Tells to or for whom or what the action of the verb, however welcome or unwanted, is committed.– Examples

• I gave the gadfly a piece of my mind.• I sent Satchmo a billet-doux.• The Mannequin gave the baby vampire her

phone number and returned to the window alone.

Subjective Complement

Comes hot on the heels of a linking verb to explain or identify the subject. When the subjective complement is a noun it is called a predicate noun.– Examples

• You will be my nemesis.• That lummox is a liability.• Her son is a horse thief.

Subjective Complement cont.

Predicate Adjective– Examples

• That conjuror is droll• The sunburn proved fatal.• The dancer seems antsy.

A note about SC

Subjective complements can follow only these groups of linking verbs– Forms of to be (am are is was were been will be– Verbs of the senses (look hear taste smell sound)– Verbs like appear seem become grow prove

remain turn and stay (in the sense of maintaining a continuous state)

• Example– The tea party remains a domestic farce with passions kept

on a leash.

Objective Complement

Follows and is related to the direct object– Examples

• The robot designated the dentist his partner.• Sir Gallimauf appointed Carmilla ambassador.

OC as an adjective

Example:– Those angry shouts made Gwendolyn

gruff.

Object of a preposition

Prepositions show location– Noun as an OP

• Examples– That fellow lives in squalor.– The pendulum swung over the pit.– You’re barking up the wrong tree.– He bounced the bandolina upon his knee.

Appositive

An appositive further identfies a noun– Examples

• The little maestro greeted an unexpected guest, a beast to whom he was allergic.

• Mucho Trabajo, Mediterranean donkey, is losing all joy in life.

• Wolves, the Children of the Night, always mate for life.

Direct Address

The noun names a person or creature being spoken to– Examples

• Remember, sweetie, I am here for you.• Dafine, fetch my spats.• Fido, snatch her purse.• Hey, buddy, drag your carcass over here!

Resources

The Deluxe Transitive Vampire– By Karen Elizabeth Gordon