Every sentence has a base. This base may be compared to the framework of a building. It is that part of the sentence on which are suspended all other parts.

Ted watched.

quietl

y

A sentence base may consist of only the subject and the verb: for many sentences nothing else is needed.

Two word sentences focus on the base.

Ted watched.Blood flew.He sprang.

Frequently the sentence base will not only have a subject and verb but also a completer, or complement.

A complement completes the meaning begun by the subject and verb.

Examples:

The I-Pod provided dance music.

Meagan will be a lawyer.

Without the complement, the sentence is not complete.

It is critical to be able to identify the main subject and verb (base) when analyzing a sentence.

Every sentence has a base. The base may be compared to the foundation of a building. It is the part upon which all other parts rest. The sentence base is usually composed of two parts: the subject and verb.

A cloud of smoke appeared. subject = cloud verb = appeared

Hall behavior was discussed.subject = behavior verb = was discussed

In many sentences something else is required in the predicate to complete the meaning of the subject and verb. This third element is the complement.

A complement is a word or group of words which completes the meaning begun by the subject and verb.

The drought ruined the crops. subject verb complement

Kate is very tall.subject verb complement

Construct sentences from the following sentence bases.

Subject Verb Complement

student left

room

remarks were

clever

child looked

unhappy

essay was

short

A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb. It identifies, describes, or explains the subject.

Michael is a quarterback. subject verb complement noun noun

Michael is strong. subject verb complement noun adjective

There are two kinds of subject complements.

If the subject complement is a noun or a pronoun, it is a predicate nominative.

If it is an adjective, it is a predicate adjective.

Predicate nominatives (nouns and pronouns) explain the subject or give another name for the subject.

Predicate adjectives describe the subject.

Both predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives are linked to the subject by linking verbs.

The common linking verbs are be, become, feel, smell, taste, look, grow, seem, appear, remain, sound, stay.

The last scene of the play is tense.

The boy became a man.

Direct Objects and Indirect Objects

There is another kind of complement that does not refer to the subject. Instead, it receives the action of the verb or shows the results of the action.

John typed his essay.

In sentences of this kind, the complement is called the direct object.

The direct object is a word or group or words that directly receives the action expressed by the verb or shows the result of the action. It answers the question “What?” or “Whom?” after an action verb.

The nurse took my temperature. the what

Objects are used after actions verbs only. Verbs like think, believe, imagine, which express a mental action, are action verbs just as truly as are verbs like jump, hit or know, which express physical action.

An indirect object is a noun or pronoun in the predicate that precedes the direct object. It tells “to whom” or “for whom” the action of the verb is done.

The instructor gave lessons.

The instructor gave me lessons.