The Complement

406. Some Intransitive Verbs express in themselves a full meaning. Such are called the
        Verbs of Complete Predication; as,

        1. Dogs bark. 
        2. Birds sing. 
        3. The moon shines. 
        4. The wind blows.



407. But some Intransitive Verbs do not express a full meaning. They require some word
        or words to be added to them to make the sense complete. Such Verbs are called the
        Verbs of Incomplete Predication ; as,

         (*) The boy seemed unhappy.

          If we say simply ' The boy seemed', we do not make complete sense.The Intransitive
          Verb seemed requires some words or words to make the sense complete.What is thus
          added to such a Verb to make its meaning complete is called a Complement.

          (*) The Complement of an Intransitive Verb always describes the Subject, and is
                therefore called a Subjective Complement.



408. Consider the Predicates in the following sentences :-

        1. John is a teacher.
        2. The rose smells sweet.
        3. It is I.
        4. Sonia went running.
        5. This house is to let.
        6. Your book is here.
        7. The house is in a ruined condition.

           (*) From the above table , it is clear that ----

                 in 1, the Complement is a Noun;
                 in 2, the Complement is an Adjective;
                 in 3, the Complement is a Pronoun;
                 in 4, the Complement is a Participle;
                 in 5, the Complement is an Infinitive;
                 in 6, the Complement is an Adverb;
                 in 7, the Complement is a Phrase.


(*) NOTE :-- To be is the most important Verb of Incomplete Prediction. Except when
                       it denotes existence , as, ' God is', it always requires a Complement.
                       Other Verbs of Incomplete Prediction are appear,seem,grow,live,look,
                       become,etc.






409. Some Transitive Verbs require both a Complement and an Object to complete the
        sense;as,

         'The President appointed Sinha Governor.'

          (*) In this sentence Sinha is the Object of the Transitive Verb appointed. Is the
               sense complete ? No ; the Verb appointed here requires a word  Governor to
               make the sense complete . 

          (*) The word Governor that completes the meaning of the Verb appointed  is 
                called a Complement. And since it refers to the Object Sinha, it is called an 
                Objective Complement.



410. Examine the Predicates in the following sentences :--

        1) They made him King.
        2) The Judge found him innocent.
        3) She kept me waiting.
        4) This made her repent.
        5) The sad news plunged her into the deepest grief.

              (*) From the above table,it is clear that----

               in 1, the Objective Complement is a Noun;
               in 2, the Objective Complement is an Adjective ;
               in 3, the Objective Complement is a Participle;
               in 4, the Objective Complement is an Infinitive ;
               in 5, the Objective Complement is a Phrase.



411. So we see that a Simple Sentence has a structure consisting of Subject ( its Attribute )
        +Verb+ ( Direct Object, Indirect  Object, Predicative Adjunct to Object, Adverbal
        Qualification, etc.)

        (*) Study how the following sentences have been constructed :--

        1). A thing ( of beauty ) is ( a joy for ever )
        2). The horse ( terrified by lightning ) ran away ( at full speed ).
        3). The teacher distributed ( sweets, to all the boys in the class ).
        4). All the students elected him ( unanimously , Secretary of the Student's Union )