The document explains the concepts of object and subject complements in grammar, detailing their roles in sentences. It provides numerous examples to illustrate how object complements complete the meaning of the object, and subject complements provide additional information about the subject, particularly with linking verbs. The distinction between linking and action verbs is emphasized to avoid confusion between subject complements and direct objects.

1. Extra (Review grammar)
Object complement
Study the sentence given below. Does it make complete sense?
 They elected Martin.
While this sentence has a subject, a verb and an object, it does not make
complete sense. We understand that Martin has been elected, but we don’t
know what position he occupies. In this case, we need a word or phrase to
complete the meaning of the object.
 They elected Martin their president.
Here the noun ‘their president’ acts as the object complement.
More examples are given below.
 They named the boy Christopher. (Subject – they; verb – named; object
– the boy; object complement – Christopher)
Here the noun ‘Christopher’ completes what is said about the object ‘the boy’
and hence it acts as the object complement.

2. More examples are given below.
 James calls his dog Tiger. (Subject – James; verb – calls; object – his
dog; object complement – Tiger)
 The members elected Mathews their president. (Subject – the members;
verb – elected; object – Mathews; object complement – their president)
 The minister made his nephew his private secretary. (Object complement
– his private secretary)
 The king named his youngest son his successor.
The object complement can also be an adjective or an adjective phrase.
 My reply made my father angry. (Subject – my reply; verb – made; object
– my father; object complement – angry)
 The manager kept the clerks always busy. (Object complement – always
busy)
 The teachers considered the boy very bright. (Object complement – very
bright)
 The judge found the accused guilty. (Object complement – guilty)
 He proved them wrong. (Object complement – wrong)

11. A subject complement is the adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking
verb.

12. The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form
of be (am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been,
etc.), become, and seem. These true linking verbs are always linking verbs.
Read these examples:
Brandon is a gifted athlete.
Brandon = subject; is = linking verb; athlete = noun as subject complement.
It was he who caught the winning touchdown Friday night.
It = subject; was = linking verb; he = pronoun as subject complement.
Brandon becomes embarrassed when people compliment his
skill.
Brandon = subject; becomes = linking verb; embarrassed = adjective as
subject complement.
Then you have a list of vebs that can be
linking or action: appear, feel, grow, look, prove, remain, smell, sound, taste,
and turn.
If you can substitute any of the verbs on this second list with an equal sign
( = ) and the sentence still makes sense, the verb is almost always linking.
Brandon's face will turn red.
Face = subject; will turn = linking verb; red = adjective as subject complement.
(Will turn is a linking verb because if you substitute an equal sign, the
sentence still makes sense.)

13. Do not confuse subject complements with direct objects.
Only linking verbs can have subject complements. If you have an action verb,
then the word that answers the question what? or who? after the SUBJECT +
VERB is a direct object.
When Michelle woke up this morning, she felt sick.
She = subject; felt = linking verb; sick = subject complement. (Felt is a linking
verb because if you substitute this felt with an equal sign, the sentence still
makes sense.)
Michelle felt her forehead but did not detect a temperature.
Michelle = subject; felt = action verb. She felt what? Forehead = direct object.
(Felt is an action verb because if you substitute this felt with an equal sign, the
sentence does not make sense.)
Use subject pronouns as subject complements.
The chart below contains subject and object pronouns. Because a subject
complement provides more information about the subject, use the subject
form of the pronoun—even when it sounds strange.
SUBJECT PRONOUNS OBJECT PRON OUNS

14. I
we
you
he, she, it
they
who
me
us
you
him, her, it
them
whom
Check out these examples:
Don't blame Gerard. It was I who woke you from a sound
sleep.
It = subject; was = linking verb; I = subject complement.
Don't get mad at me! I didn't pull your ponytail! It was he.
It = subject; was = linking verb; he = subject complement.
Remember the amazing guitarist that I met? This is she.
This = subject; is = linking verb; she = subject complement.