Chapter 2 - Complements

Prepositional Phrase Rule

No complements can exist in a prepositional phrase

“There” Subject Rule

There is NEVER the subject (“There is/there are” the subject is after this phrase)

Direct Object

A noun that gets verbed/receives the action - CANNOT BE AFTER A LINKING VERB

Indirect Object

• Given to

• Shown to

• Told to

• Denied to

Happens when one of the above verbs is present (or the equivalent of these words)

• Direct object (WHAT got verbed) and indirect object (WHO got verbed) will be present

Predicate Noun

AFTER a linking verb, renames/identifies the subject

Predicate adjective

AFTER A LINKING VERB describes the subject

Linking verb rules

1. When the verb is about an internal state, they’re linking verbs

2. When these verbs are acting on something outside of itself (external), they’re NOT linking verbs

Objective Complement

• Make X Y

• Elect X Y

• Consider X Y

• Deem X Y

= to or describing the direct object (NOT the subject)

(Present in the above verbs)

Linking Verbs

• Appear

• Become

• Feel

• Grow

• Look

• Remain

• Seem

• Smell

• Sound

• Taste*