Subject Complement

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of a verb. Complements are classified as a subject complement, direct objects, indirect objects, or objective complements.

What Is a Subject Complement?

A subject complement is a word or group of words that follows a linking verb or verb phrase such as is, am, are, was, were, smell, feel, taste, look, sound, have been, and did seem. The two subject complement types are predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives. Each subject complement either describes or renames the subject or subjects in a sentence.

Predicate adjectives describe a sentence’s subject by giving more information about its characteristics.

Subject Complement Examples (Predicate Adjective):

Subject Complement Examples 1: The pie looks lovely and delicious.

(How does the pie look? It looks lovely and delicious. Lovely and delicious are each a predicate adjective; they describe pie.)

What is a Subject Complement?

(How does Dad seem? He seems tired. Tired is the predicate adjective; it describes Dad.)

Subject Complement Examples 2: We were sad to see our friends go.

(What were we? We were sad. Sad is the predicate adjective; it describes We.)

Subject Complement Examples 3: The ham tastes salty.

(How does the ham taste? It tastes salty. Salty is the predicate adjective; it describes ham.)

Subject Complement Examples 4: Monica was sore after going to the gym.

(What was Monica? She was sore. Sore is the predicate adjective; it describes Monica.)

Subject Complement Examples 5: The baby rabbit feels soft and furry.

(How does the baby rabbit feel? It feels soft and furry. Soft and furry are the predicate adjectives; they describe rabbit.)

Predicate nominatives rename, identify, or define a subject. Unlike predicate adjectives, they always take the form of a noun or pronoun.

Subject Complement Examples (Predicate Nominative):

Subject Complement Examples

(Who was Nikola Tesla? He was an important inventor. Inventor is the predicate nominative; it identifies Nikola Tesla.)

Subject Complement Examples 6: Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

(What is breakfast? It is my favorite meal. Meal is the predicate nominative; it identifies breakfast.)

Subject Complement Examples 7: Crystals are minerals that often grow on rock walls.

(What are crystals? They are minerals. Minerals is the predicate nominative; it identifies crystals.)

Subject Complement Examples 8: Julie Taymor is a director and designer best known for her work on The Lion King.

(Who is Julie Taymor? She is a director and designer. Director and designer are the predicate nominatives; they identify Julie Taymor.)

Subject Complement Examples 9: Jane Addams, Nelson Mandela, and Jimmy Carter have been recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.

(What have Jane Addams, Nelson Mandela, and Jimmy Carter been? They have been recipients. Recipients is the predicate nominative; it identifies Jane Addams, Nelson Mandela, and Jimmy Carter.)

Subject Complement Examples 10: Ms. Williams was my teacher in fifth grade.

(Who was Ms. Williams? She was my teacher. Teacher is the predicate nominative; it identifies Ms. Williams.)

Why is a Subject Complement Important?

A subject complement provides important details to the reader, such as by describing certain aspects of a subject or explaining what that subject is.

Related Topics:
Predicate
Simple Predicate
Compound Predicate
Complete Predicate
Predicate Nominative
Predicate Adjective
Simple Subject
Compound Subject
Complete Subject
All Grammar Terms