This document defines and provides examples of different types of complements in English grammar: 1) Direct objects answer the questions "whom?" or "what?" after a transitive verb and receive the action of the verb. 2) Indirect objects tell "to what" or "to whom" or "for what" or "for whom" the action of the verb is done and appear between the verb and direct object. 3) Subject complements complete the meaning of a linking verb and identify or describe the subject. Predicate nominatives identify the subject and predicate adjectives describe the subject.

1. Complements A word or group of words that completes the meaning of a verb. Elements of Literature pp. 937-940

2. Direct Object A noun, pronoun, or word group that tells who or what receives the action of the verb. A direct object answers the question “Whom?” or “What?” after a transitive verb. Ex. I mailed the birthday present . A direct object is never in a prepositional phrase.

3. Indirect Objects A noun, pronoun, or word group that sometimes appears in sentences containing direct objects. Indirect objects tell to what or to whom or for what or for whom the action of the verb is done. Ex. I mailed him the birthday present. A sentence with an indirect object always has a direct object. S - AV – IO - DO

4. Subject Complements A word or word group that completes the meaning of a linking verb and identifies or describes the subject.

5. Predicate Nominative A predicate nominative is a noun, a pronoun, or a word group that functions as a noun. It follows a linking verb and identifies the subject or refers to it. Ex. My English teacher is Mrs. Williams . Never appear in a prep. phrase

6. Predicate Adjective A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the subject. Ex. Mrs. Williams is great .

7. Finding Complements Step 1 – Place parentheses around prepositional phrases Step 2 – Identify subject Step 3 - Identify verb

8. Finding Complements If an action verb – look for Direct Object ( whom or what received the action?) Is there an Indirect Object between the action verb and the Direct Object? (tells to what , to whom , for what or for whom the action is done)

9. Finding Complements If a linking verb – look for a noun or pronoun that follows the linking verb and identifies the subject or refers to it – the predicate nominative If there is not a noun or pronoun , look for an adjective that follows the linking verb and describes the subject – the predicate adjective