Download Complements

Direct Object, Indirect Object, Subject
Complements
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Is a word or groups of words that completes
the meaning of a subject and verb
Sometimes a subject and a verb alone can
express a complete thought.
Example: Birds fly. It can stand alone because it
is a complete thought
However
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in other sentences the thought has to be
completed by adding other words
Example:
Toni bought
What?
The eyewitness told
What?
Richard feels
How?
All contain a subject and a verb but not a
complete thought
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A complement is needed to make the words a
complete sentence
Complements are usually nouns, pronouns, or
adjectives which are located close to the verb
Examples: (subject underlined once, the verb is
italicized, and the complement is bolded in
black.
Toni bought cars.
The eyewitness told us the story.
Richard feels sad.
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Direct Objects are complements used after
action verbs
It is a noun or pronoun that receives the action
of a transitive verb
Find the direct object by asking the question
“Whom” or “What” after an action verb
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Examples:
The message reached the lawyer.
Reached whom? Lawyer
Direct objects like subjects and verbs can be
compound
Mother invited Uncle Bill and Aunt Clara
Invited whom? Uncle Bill, Aunt Clara
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1. In the fourteenth century, Martini, an Italian
painter, designed a human propelled carriage on
four wheels.
2. However, the Greeks used wheels and carts as far
back as the eighth century B.C.
3. Henry Ford introduced his first automobile as the
“Quadricycle.”
4. The name automobile gained acceptance in 1897.
Answers on the next slide
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1. carriage
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2. wheels, carts
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3. automobile
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4. aceptance
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Not all Action verbs have direct
objects
Be careful not to confuse a direct object with a
n adverb or an object of the preposition
A direct object is never an adverb
or the noun or pronoun at the end
of a prepositional phrase
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1. Joanne drove her car.
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2. Joanne drove quickly.
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3. Joanne drove through the town.
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If you chose the sentence Joanne drove her car,
you would be correct.
Joanne drove quickly.-quickly is an adverb
Joanne drove through town. Through town is a
prepositional phrase with town being the object
of the preposition.
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Identify the parts of speech:
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Joanne drove her car quickly through town.
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Try some: Find the direct object, prepositional
phrases, or adverbs and label.
1. A British inventor built a steam automobile in
1801.
2. This automobile moved rather quickly at
twelve miles per hour.
3. People complained immediately about the
automobiles’ noise.
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4. The speed limit restricted drivers to four
miles per hour.
5. Many countries developed automobiles
during this time.
Answers on the next page.
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1. automobile-Direct Object
in 1801-prepositional phrase
2. quickly-adverb
at twelve miles per hour-Prep Phrase
3. immediately-adverb
about the automobiles’ noise- Prep Phrase
4. drivers- Direct Object
to four miles per hour- Prep Phrase
5. automobiles- Direct Object
during this time- Prep Phrase
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In normal word order, the direct object is
located after the verb. In questions, which are
in inverted order, the direct object may not
come after the verb.
A direct object in a question is sometimes
located near the beginning of the sentence,
before the verb
Look at the examples on the next page.
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Whom did you ask for help?
You did ask whom for help?
What does he want from us?
He does want what from us?
Which car does he want from the dealership?
He does want which car from the dealership?
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1. Which articles did she read about this
experimental vehicle?
2. What disadvantages did the electric automobile
have?
3. What does he know about the size and
reliability of its batteries?
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4. Whom did you see in the automobile museum?
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Answers on the next page
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1. articles
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2. disadvantages
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3. What
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4. Whom
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Indirect object- another kind of complement
A sentence cannot have an indirect object
unless it has a direct object
Indirect Object- is a noun or pronoun that
comes after an action verb and before a direct
object
An indirect object answers the questions To or
Who for?
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1. I told them the story.
Told to whom? Them
Keep in mind the pattern
Subject + verb+ indirect object + direct object
An indirect object will almost always come
between the verb and the direct object
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Like a subject, verb, or direct object, an indirect
object can be compound
Dave gave each car and truck a new color.
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1. In 1912, twenty companies offered customers electric
cars.
2. The internal-combustion engine gave the electric cars
new competition.
3. Engineers have given automobile makers plans for
internal combustion automobiles.
4. Owners showed neighbors and friends their
automobile.
5. However, the automobile often taught the drivers
and passengers humility.
Answers on the next page
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1. customers
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2. cars
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3. makers
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4. neighbors, friends
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5. driver, passengers
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Do Not confuse an indirect object with an
object of the preposition
AN INDIRECT OBJECT NEVER FOLLOWS
“TO OR FOR” in a sentence
Compare the following sentences:
Father bought him a car.
Father bought a car for him. (for him- Prep.
Phrase)
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1. The automobile brought danger for drivers.
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2. Accidents caused town officials great concern.
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3. Towns quickly et low speed limits for motorists.
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4. They soon gave speeders fines.
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5. All motorists have a responsibility to their
passengers and other drivers.
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1. drivers-obj of the prep
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2. officials-indirect obj
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3. motorists- obj of the prep
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4. speeders- indirect obj
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5. passengers, drivers- obj of the prep
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Subject complementis a noun, pronoun, or adjective that
follows a linking verb and tells
something about the subject
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Follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the
subject of the sentence
Examples:
Ronnie will be the captain of our team. (the predicate
noun captain renames the subject Ronnie)
Ford’s first car was the Model A.(the predicate noun
Model A renames the subject car)
The two winners are they. (The predicate pronoun thy
renames the subject winners)
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1. Europe was the home of some early automobiles.
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2. Americans quickly became fans of the automobile.
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3. Hartford and Cleveland were the cities in which the
American auto industry began.
4. Many car models were poor designs.
5. Henry Ford was the man who had financial backing
for his invention.
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1. home
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2. fans
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3. cities
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4. Designs
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5. man
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A predicate adjective follows a linking verb
and describes the subject of a sentence
It is considered part of a complete predicate of
a sentence because it comes after a linking verb.
In spite of this a predicate adjective does not
modify the words in the predicate . Instead it
describes the noun or pronoun that stands for
the subject of the sentence.
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1. The flight to Houston was swift. (The
predicate adjective swift describes flight)
2. The saleswoman seems very sensitive to the
needs of her customers. (The predicate
adjective sensitive describes the subject
saleswoman)
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1. The assembly line was extremely efficient,
constructing one car in ninety-three minutes.
2. However, the assembly line work was unpleasant.
3. Workers grew tired of the daily monotony and
pressure of production quotas.
4. A monthly laborer turnover of 40 to 60 percent was
inescapable.
5. Ford’s plan for doubling the daily wage was smart.
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1. efficient
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2. unpleasant
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3. tired
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4. inescapable
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5. smart
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Subject complements can be compound
It consists of two or more predicate nouns,
predicate pronouns, or predicate adjectives
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My two best friends are Phil and Mark.
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The highway seems slick and icy.
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1. The Museum of Automobile History in Syracuse,
New York, is exciting and interesting to people of all
ages.
2. Information on thousands of cars is available and
accessible to all visitors.
3. The display of collector’s items is sleek and huge.
4. The museum has become a historic sight and a
showroom for classic cars.
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1. exciting, interesting /predicate adjectives
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2. available, accessible/predicate adjectives
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3. sleek, huge/predicate adjectives
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4. site, showroom/ predicate nouns
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5. attraction, site/ predicate nouns