Download Grammar 1.4 - Mr. F. Rivera

Grammar 1.4
Complements: Subject Complements,
Complements: Objects of Verbs, Fragments
and Run-Ons
Complements
A complement is a word or group of words that completes
the meaning of a verb.
Two kinds:
● Subject complements
● Objects of verbs
Complements: Subject
Complements
A subject complement is a word or group of words that follows a
linking verb and renames or describes the subject.
Butterflies are fragile.
Subject: butterflies
Linking verb: are
Subject complement: fragile
*Fragile describes butterflies.
Linking verbs must be followed by a noun or adjective. Common
Linking Verbs:
● Forms of to be: am, is, are, was, were, be, been
● Other linking verbs: appear, become, feel, look, sound, seem, taste
○ Notice that many of the *other linking verbs* have to deal with
the 5 senses
Complements: Subject
Complements (cont.)
Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives: both nouns and adjectives can
serve as subject complements.
Noun: a predicate noun follows a linking verb and defines or renames the
subject.
Monarch butterflies are insects.
Monarch butterflies are insects.
● Subject: butterflies
● Linking verb: are
● Subject complement: insects
○ Insects is a noun. Insects defines butterflies.
Cocoons become butterfly nurseries.
Cocoons become butterfly nurseries.
● Subject: cocoons
● Linking verb: become
● Subject complement: nurseries
○ Nurseries is a noun. Nurseries renames cocoons.
Complements: Subject
Complements (cont.)
Adjective: a predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes a quality of
the subject.
Monarchs look beautiful.
Monarchs look beautiful.
● Subject: monarchs
● Linking verb: look
● Subject complement: beautiful
○ Beautiful is an adjective. Beautiful describes monarchs.
The town of Hershey smells delicious. A huge candy factory is the source of
this pleasurable sensation. Tourists seem happy just to breathe in the air.
The town of Hershey smells delicious [predicate adjective]. A huge candy
factory is the source [predicate noun] of this pleasurable sensation. Tourists
seem happy [predicate adjective] just to breathe in the air.
Complements: Objects of
Verbs
In addition to subject complements, there are objects of
verbs. Action verbs often need complements called direct
objects and indirect objects to complete their meaning.
Direct Objects: A direct object is a word or group of words
that names the receiver of the action.
Indirect Objects: An indirect object is a word or group of
words that tells to whom or what (or for whom or what) an
action is performed.
Complements: Objects of
Verbs (cont.)
Direct Objects: a word or group of words that names the receiver of the action.
A direct object answers the question what or whom.
Many Beijing residents ride bicycles.
Many Beijing residents ride bicycles.
● Subject: residents
● Action verb: ride
● Direct object: bicycles
○ Bicycles answers the question “what is being ridden by the
residents?”
New Yorkers take the subway.
New Yorkers take the subway.
● Subject: New Yorkers
● Action verb: take
● Direct object: subway
○ Subway answers the question “what do New Yorkers take?”
Complements: Objects of
Verbs (cont.)
Indirect Objects: word or group of words that tells to whom or what (or for whom or what) an
action is performed. Usually comes between a verb and a direct object.
Verbs that are often followed by indirect objects include bring, give, hand, lend, make, offer,
send, show, teach, tell, write, and ask.
We lent the producer our house.
We lent the producer our house.
● Subject: we
● Action verb: lent
● Direct object: house
● Indirect object: producer
○ Producer answers the question “to whom are we doing the lending of our
house?”
Mass transit offers people easy commutes.
Mass transit offers people easy commutes.
● Subject: transit
● Action verb: offers
● Direct object: commutes
● Indirect object: people
○ People answers the question “to whom does the transit offer commutes?”
Complements: Objects of
Verbs (cont.)
Find the direct and indirect objects (bonus! find the predicate adjective[s] and/or
predicate noun[s]):
The teacher taught the students complements. The students were
confused. The students wrote notes. The notes showed the pupils correct
answers. The students became geniuses.
The teacher taught the students [IO] complements [DO]. The students
were confused [PA]. The students wrote notes [DO]. The notes showed the
pupils [IO] correct answers [DO]. The students became geniuses [PN].
Fragments and Run-Ons
Sentence fragments and run-on sentences are writing errors that can make
your writing difficult to understand.
A sentence fragment is a part of a sentence that is written as if it were a
complete sentence. A sentence fragment is missing a subject, a predicate, or
both.
Ghost towns usually around deserted mines and oil fields.
MISSING A PREDICATE
...what about these ghost towns?
Ghost towns usually can be found around deserted mines and oil fields.
...ooooooh, okay. They can be found.
Abandoned them after the mines or fields were exhausted.
MISSING A SUBJECT
...who abandoned them?
Residents abandoned them after the mines or fields were exhausted.
...ooooooh, okay. The residents did the abandoning.
Fragments and Run-Ons
(cont.)
A run-on sentence consists of two or more sentences written as though they
were a single sentence.
RUN-ON
Most ghost towns are in ruins, some have been restored to their original
condition.
REVISION
Most ghost towns are in ruins. Some have been restored to their original
condition.
REVISION II
Most ghost towns are in ruins, but some have been restored to their
original condition.
Fragments and Run-Ons
(cont.)
DRAFT
The town of Garnet flourished for a while. During the second half of the 19th
century. One thousand people lived there in 1898, seven years later the
population was only 200. Now a ghost town.
REVISION
The town of Garnet flourished during the second half of the 19th century. One
thousand people lived there in 1898, but seven years later the population was
only 200. Garnet is now a ghost town.