Complements 

Since this page is about the completers of thoughts, it is appropriate to include a brief description of complements. A complement (notice the spelling of the word) is any word or phrase that completes the sense of a subject, an object, or a verb. As you will see, the terminology describing predicates and complements can overlap and be a bit confusing. Students are probably wise to learn one set of terms, not both.

A subject complement follows a linking verb; it is normally an adjective or a noun that renames or defines in some way the subject.

• A glacier is a huge body of ice.

• Glaciers are beautiful and potentially dangerous at the same time.

• This glacier is not yet fully formed . (verb form acting as an adjective, a participle)

Adjective complements are also called predicate adjectives ; noun complements are also called predicate nouns or predicate nominatives . See predicates, above.

An object complement follows and modifies or refers to a direct object . It can be a noun or adjective or any word acting as a noun or adjective.

• The convention named Dogbreath Vice President to keep him happy . (The noun "Vice President" complements the direct object "Dogbreath"; the adjective "happy" complements the object "him.")

• The clown got the children too excited . (The participle "excited" complements the object "children.")

A verb complement is a direct or indirect object of a verb. 

• Granny left Raoul all her money . (Both "money" [the direct object] and "Raoul" [the indirect object] are said to be the verb complements of this sentence.)