Complement of English

Complement is part of sentence which refers to same entities, either subject or object, to give more information about them rather difference entities. In all of these cases, the phrases after is, was and were define the subject so it can be called as complement. Take a look on below examples

• Smith kills John
• Smith burns trash
• An ant kills Smith

All words after verbs of above examples are clearly not the same entities as the Subjects of the sentences. Now examples of complement

• Smith is a bad boy
• Smith was what FBI searches for now
• Smith looks messy

There is a strong connection between the Subjects and the phrases. These phrases act to identify the Subject more precisely. These are known as complements.

A Complement can also appear as noun phrase

• He is the father of four.
• Sleep is the great healer.
• Those animals were very rare Siberian tigers.
• The Earth is 150 million kilometres from the sun.

or as adjective phrase

• This little cottage was nice and cosy.
• My teeth are pearly white.
• The argument became more heated.
• The weather gradually got hotter and hotter.

In all the instances in the previous section the Complement gave additional information about the Subject of the clause. Additional information can similarly be given about the Object. Look at the examples below:

• The accusation made me glad.
• The whole earth wanted the outlaw dead.
• I have made him manager.
• I find it difficult to believe in you.

Here, the phrases in bold are giving extra information about the Objects of the clauses which are him, me, the outlaw, him, it. The object Complement usually follows the Object of the clause as in all the examples above and the choice of verb is not so restricted as it is with the subject Complement clauses.

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