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Subject, Object, and Complements

The document discusses the difference between subjects, objects, and complements in English grammar. An object is what is affected by the action of the subject, while a complement adds additional information about the subject or object and follows the verb. The document provides examples and definitions to explain the key differences between objects and complements.

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Stephanie Obregon
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93 views6 pages

Subject, Object, and Complements

The document discusses the difference between subjects, objects, and complements in English grammar. An object is what is affected by the action of the subject, while a complement adds additional information about the subject or object and follows the verb. The document provides examples and definitions to explain the key differences between objects and complements.

Uploaded by

Stephanie Obregon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is the Difference Between Subject, Objects, and Complements?

The main difference between object and complement in English grammar is that the object
is what is affected to the action of the subject while the complement is a part of a clause
that usually follows the verb and adds more information about the subject or object.

In the grammar and syntax of the English language, we come across varied terms. Object
and complement are two such terms in English grammar. Since both these are included in
the main parts of the sentence, most language users get confused about these terms.

What is an Object in English Grammar:

Cambridge dictionary defines an object in English grammar as ‘a noun or noun


phrase that is affected by the action of a verb’. In brief, an object is what is affected by the
action of the subject.
The basic sentence structure in English grammar is – Subject + Verb + Object. So the
object is what comes at the later most part of the sentence, usually followed by the verb.
For example:

My brother wrote this essay.


An object can be a noun, pronoun or a noun phrase. In the above sentence, the object “this
essay”, is a noun. The easiest way to identify the object in a sentence is by asking ‘what’
with the verb of the sentence. For example, in the above sentence, Wrote what? – The
essay (Object)
However, there are also sentences that do not carry an object according to the form of the
verb used.
For example:

He was singing just now.


It started raining heavily.
Moreover, to make an active sentence to passive, an object becomes a necessity.

For example:

He eats rice – Rice was eaten by him

She painted this masterpiece – This masterpiece was painted by her.

What is a Complement in English Grammar?

Complement is ‘a part of a clause that usually follows the verb and adds more information
about the subject or object’. Complements are one of the five major elements of clause
structures in English grammar. All objects are complements, but not vice versa.

In brief, complement is what completes or brings additional information to make the


sentence more meaningful. According to the additional details provided by the complement,
there are two main types of complements in English grammar: Subject
complement and object complement.
Object Complement

 Object complement is a clause that adds additional information to the direct object. But do
not confuse it with the indirect object, which will be either a noun or a pronoun. The object
complement is a part of a clause usually having an adverb or an adjective explaining
more about the direct object.

Example:

He kicked the ball  which was painted in red and blue  (This clause adds more
information about the object ‘the ball’)

  The monitor wrote the names of the students who didn’t participate in the
drill (This object complement adds additional information about the object ‘the names of
the students’)
He found me disturbed. (The adverb becomes the object complement describing the state of
the object ‘me’)

Subject Complement:

The subject complement is a clause that adds information to the subject. Usually, these
sentences do not contain a clear object.

Example:

They were good  friends.  (In this the clause containing the adverb fast adds more
information about how the subject ‘she’ has performed the action of running)

This park is very clean and attractive in the evening. (This clause qualifies the subject
explaining more about it)
RECAP
An object is what is affected by the subject while complement is a part of a clause following
the verb that adds additional information about the subject or the object of the sentence.

The object is one of the main parts in a sentence while a complement does not become a
fundamental part of a sentence. However, it is significant since it adds more information
and thus qualifies the sentence.

An object is predominantly a noun, a pronoun, or even a clause while a complement is a


part of a clause which includes nouns, adverbs, adjectives, etc.

A sentence contains varied grammatical parts. An object is one such fundamental


grammatical part of a sentence. A complement also plays a vital role when we think of
making a sentence more complex and thus more meaningful. The difference between object
and complement in English grammar is that the object is what is affected to the action of
the subject while the complement is a part of a clause that usually follows the verb and
adds more information about the subject or object.

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