More on Subjects, Predicates, and Complements
Holt Handbook, Chapter 2: The Parts of a Sentence (34-60)
SUBJECT
A simple subjectis a word or word group that tells whom or what the sentence is about. Acomplete subject consists of the simple subject and any words or word groups that modify the simple subject (39).
Example: A dog with this pedigree is usually nervous.
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Note: The subject of a sentence is NEVER in a prepositional phrase! A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, the object of a preposition and any modifiers of that object (24).
Commonly used prepositions: after, as, at, before, but (meaning except), during, for, like, of, since,to, until, with, without
Commonly used compound prepositions: according to, because of, in addition to, in front of, in spite of, instead of, on account of, prior to, such as
Examples of prepositional phrases:
For the team, of min, through the years, on the top shelf, at all times, along with my niece
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A compound subjectcombines two subjects with a conjunction.
PREDICATE
The simple predicate, or verb, is the main word or word group (verb phrase: verb + helping verb/s) that tells something about the subject.
List of commonly used helping verbs: am, are, can, could, did, do, does, had, has, have, is, may, might, must, shall, should, was, were, will, would
The complete predicate consists of the verb and all the words that modify the verb and complete its meaning (39).
COMPLEMENTS
Subject Complements
Subject complements complete the meaning/s of linking verbs only (48).
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Tip: To determine whether a verb in a sentence is linking, substitute a form a form of the verb to be for the verb. If the sentence makes sense, the verb is most likely linking (17)!
Common forms of the verb to be: be, being, am, is, are, was, were, shall be, will be, has been , have been, had been, shall have been, will have been, can be, may be, might be, must be, should be, would be, could be, should have been, would have been, could have been
Other linking verbs: appear, become, fell, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, turn
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There are two types of subject complements: predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives. A predicate nominative is a complement in the form of a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject by identifying it or referring to it.
Example: Some caterpillars become butterflies. The noun “butterflies” follows the linking verb become and identifies the subject caterpillars. A predicate adjective is a complement in the form of an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject by describing it.
Example: You look happy. The adjective “happy” follows the linking verb look and describes the subject you.
Object Complements
The object of a verb is a complement that, unlike a subject complement, does not identify or modify the subject. An object of a verb is noun, pronoun or word group that completes the meaning of a transitive verb (53).
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Transitive Verb: A verb that expresses action directed toward a person, place thing or idea (noun or pronoun). A transitive verb always has an object or a word that tells who or what receives the action of the verb (19).
Example: The cat was chasing a moth. The noun “moth” completes the meaning of the verb chasing.
Note: Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive but intransitive verbs are verbs that do not have objects. All linking verbs are intransitive!
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Direct object: answers Whom? Or What?after an action verb.Refer to the example above.Chasing what?A moth.
Indirect object: answers To what or whom? or For what or whom? after an action verb.
Example: Jeff’s mother gavehim some grapes. Again, the direct object (in this case, grapes) answers what Jeff’s mother gave. To whom did Jeff’s mother give? him = the indirect object.