compléments

Complements, in grammar, are words or phrases that complete the meaning of a verb, noun, adjective, or adverb. They are essential for constructing complete and meaningful sentences. There are several types of complements, each serving a distinct grammatical function.

A direct object is a type of complement that receives the action of a transitive verb. For example, in the sentence "She read a book," the word "book" is the direct object, indicating what she read. An indirect object, on the other hand, is a complement that indicates to whom or for whom the action of the verb is performed. In the sentence "He gave her a gift," "her" is the indirect object, specifying the recipient of the gift.

A subject complement follows a linking verb (such as "is," "seems," or "becomes") and renames or describes the subject of the sentence. There are two types of subject complements: predicate nominatives, which are nouns or pronouns that rename the subject, and predicate adjectives, which are adjectives that describe the subject. For instance, in "She is a doctor," "doctor" is a predicate nominative. In "The sky is blue," "blue" is a predicate adjective.

An object complement follows a direct object and renames or describes it. For example, in "They made him captain," "captain" is an object complement, renaming "him." Adverbial complements, often phrases or clauses, complete the meaning of an adverb or verb by providing information about time, place, manner, or cause. Understanding complements is fundamental to analyzing sentence structure and ensuring clarity in communication.