A subject complement is the adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb.

The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has

been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. These true linking verbs

are always linking verbs.

Then you have a list of verbs that can be

linking or action: appear, feel, grow, look, prove, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn. If you

can substitute any of the verbs on this second list with an equal sign [=] and the sentence still makes

sense, the verb is almost always linking.

Read these examples:

Brandon is a gifted athlete.

Brandon = subject; is = linking verb; athlete = noun as subject complement.

It was he who caught the winning touchdown Friday night.

It = subject; was = linking verb; he = pronoun as subject complement.

Brandon becomes embarrassed when people compliment his skill.

Brandon = subject; becomes = linking verb; embarrassed = adjective as subject complement.

Brandon's face will turn red.

Face = subject; will turn = linking verb; red = adjective as subject complement. [Will turn is linking

because if you substitute this verb with an equal sign, the sentence still makes sense.]
A direct object will follow a transitive verb [a type of action verb]. Direct objects can

be nouns, pronouns, phrases, or clauses. If you can identify the subject and verb in a sentence, then finding

the direct object—if one exists—is easy. Just remember this simple formula:

S U B J E C T + V E R B + what? or who? = D I R E C T O B J E C T

Here are examples of the formula in action:

Zippy and Maurice played soccer with a grapefruit pulled from a backyard tree.

Zippy, Maurice = subjects; played = verb. Zippy and Maurice played what? Soccer = direct object.

Zippy accidentally kicked Maurice in the shin.

Zippy = subject; kicked = verb. Zippy kicked who? Maurice = direct object.

Sometimes direct objects are single words like soccer and Maurice; other times they are phrases or clauses. The

formula nevertheless works the same.

Sylina hates biting her fingernails.

Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hates what? Biting her fingernails [a gerund phrase] = direct object.

Even worse, Sylina hates when Mom lectures her about hand care.

Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hates what? When Mom lectures her about hand

care [a subordinate clause] = direct object.

Direct objects can also follow verbals—infinitives, gerunds, and participles. Use this abbreviated version of the

formula:

verbal + what? or who? = direct object

Here are some examples:

To see magnified blood cells , Gus squinted into the microscope on the lab table.

To see = infinitive. To see what? Blood cells = direct object.

Gus bought contact lenses because he wan ted to see the beautiful Miranda, his lab

partner, more clearly.

To see = infinitive. To see who? The beautiful Miranda = direct object.

Dragging her seventy-five pound German shepherd through the door is Roseanne's

least favorite part of going to the vet.

Dragging = gerund. Dragging what? Her seventy-five pound German shepherd = direct object.

Heaping his plate with fried chicken, Clyde winked at Delores, the cook.

Heaping = participle. Heaping what? His plate = direct object.

Don't use subject pronouns as direct objects.
The chart below contains subject and object pronouns. Because direct objects are objects, always use the objective form of the

pronoun when you need a direct object.

Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns

I me

we us

you you

he, she, it him, her, it

they them

who whom

Check out these sample sentences:

After I give my dog Oreo a scoop of peanut butter, she always kisses me with her sticky

tongue.

She = subject; kisses = verb. She kisses who? Me = direct object.

Because Jo had skipped Mr. Duncan's class five times in a row, she ducked out of sight

whenever she spotted him on campus.

She = subject; spotted = verb. She spotted who? Him = direct object.

Because David was always eating her food, Theresa sneaked corn chips and candy bars into

her room and hid them in the clothes hamper.

Theresa = subject; hid = verb. Theresa hid what? Them = direct object.

What is an Object Complement?

What does object complement mean? An object complement (also called an
objective complement) follows a direct object. It may be a word or phrase that
gives further meaning to the direct object. In a sense, it explains what the direct
object has become.
An object complement can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective.
Object Complement Examples:
 He made her happy.
 “her” is the direct object
 “happy” is the object compliment
 “happy” is what she, the direct object (“her”), has become

Object Complements vs. Subject

Complements

Object compliments and subject

complements are not the same.

An object complement gives further meaning to the object.

A subject complement, however, gives further meaning to the subject. A subject
complement will only follow a linking verb and describes the subject, not the
object.
Examples of Object vs. Subject Complements:
 Shane made Neil frustrated.
 “Neil” is the direct object
 “frustrated” is the object compliment
 “frustrated” is what he, the direct object (“Neil”), has become
 Neil was frustrated.
 was = linking verb
 frustrated = subject complement

Object Complements Can be Nouns,

Pronouns, and Adjectives
 Object complements can be nouns,
pronouns, and adjectives. Here are some examples of them acting each of these.

Object Complements as Nouns

A noun object complement can be a single word or a phrase.

 Shan named John the new manager.

 “John” is the direct object
 “the new manager” is a noun phrase
 “the new manager” is the object compliment
 “the new manager” is what John, the direct object, has become

Object Complements as Pronouns

 They chose the candidate

who was best.
 “the candidate” is the direct object
 “who was best” is a relative pronoun phrase
 “who was best” is the object compliment
 “who was best” is what the candidate, the direct object, has become

Object Complements as Adjectives

An adjective object complement can be a single word or a phrase.

 We considered him worthy.

 “him” is the direct object
 “worthy” is an adjective
 “worthy” is the object compliment
 “worthy” is what he, the direct object (“him”), has become

Common Verbs for Object Complements

 Object complements require the
sentence to have a direct object. Consequently, some verbs more commonly
produce object complements than others. Below are some of those verbs with
sentence examples.

Usually these verbs are those of creating or nominating.

 to make: They made him supervisor.
 to name: We named our dog Peter.
 to call: She called me silly.
 to choose: We chose James for captain.
 to elect: They elected Margaret Board President.

Summary: What are Object Complements?

Define object complement: the definition of object complement is a
complement that follows a linking verb and modifies or complete the sentence’s
object.
In summary, an object complement:

 follows a direct object

 provides additional information to a direct object or says what a direct
object has become
 can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective
 typically follows certain verbs

What is an Indirect Object?

What is an indirect object? An indirect object is always a noun, and a direct
object must exist before an indirect object can exist.
An indirect object receives the direct object of the sentence.

Here is an example of a sentence WITHOUT an indirect object:

 Stan built a house.

 Stan built what?
 A house.
 House is the direct object.
 In this example, house is the direct
object. As I said above, a direct object must exist before an indirect object can
exist. An indirect object may not be used without a direct object in the sentence.

Example of a sentence WITH an indirect object:

 Stan built Julie a house.

 Stan built what?
 A house.
 House is the direct object.
 Stan built a house for whom?

 Julie is the indirect object.
How to Find the Indirect Object

Finding an indirect object is fairly

simple once the direct object has been identified.

To find a direct object, ask “what?” or “whom?” the verb is doing.

To find an indirect object, ask “to whom/what?” or “for whom/what” the direct
object is intended.

The indirect object will chronologically exist before the direct object in a
sentence.

Indirect Object Examples:

 Dan made her a cake.
 Dan made what? A cake.
 Cake is the direct object.
 To whom/what or for whom/what did Dan make the cake? Her.
 Her is the indirect object.
 Martin read Maria the book.
  Martin read what? The book.
 Book is the direct object.
 To whom did Martin read the book? To Maria.
 Maria is the indirect object.

Direct Object vs. Indirect Object

When comparing direct vs. indirect objects, you need to look at what direct and
indirect objects do in a sentence.

Direct Objects:
A direct object is the recipient of the action of the verb.

 John threw Steve the ball.

What is it that John threw? He threw the ball.

Indirect Objects:
An indirect object receives the direct object.

 John threw Steve the ball.

Who received the ball? Steve did.

If you ask yourself these questions, finding the direct object and indirect object is
easy.

Object of Preposition vs. Indirect Object

Indirect objects are separate from

prepositional phrases. If what appears to be an indirect object occurs within a
prepositional phrase, it is the object of the preposition, not an indirect object.

Example:
 Darius bought a car for her.
In this example, it seems that “her” would be the indirect object. However, “her” is
the object of the preposition “for.”

As noted, the indirect object will always come before the direct object in the
sentence. In this example the direct object “a car” is placed before “her.” “Her” is
the object of the preposition.
Only Transitive Verbs can Have Direct and
Indirect Objects

Only transitive verbs can have direct

and/or indirect objects. That is, a direct and/or indirect object will only follow a
transitive verb.
Intransitive verbs will not have indirect objects.
Simply by following the formula above, one can test whether the verb is transitive
or intransitive.

Intransitive verbs will not answer the question “what?” or “whom?”.

Examples of Transitive Verbs:

 Mason gave him the ball. (Mason gave what? The ball. To whom? Him.)
 Lisa purchased her daughter clothes. (Lisa purchased what? Clothes. For
whom? Her daughter.)
Examples of Intransitive Verbs:
 The bird circled three times.
 “Three times” does not answer “what?” or “whom?”.
 “Circled” is an intransitive verb.
 Polly raced down the street.
 “Down the street” does not answer “what?” or “whom?”.
 “Raced” is an intransitive verb.

Direct Object vs. Subject Complement

Only transitive verbs can have direct

and indirect objects. That is, direct and indirect objects will only ever follow a
transitive verb.
Linking verbs will have a subject complement. A subject complement follows a
linking verb.

Examples of Linking Verbs with Subject Complements:

 Priya might become a pilot.
 might become = linking verb; a pilot = subject complement
  The food smelled delicious.
 smelled = linking verb; delicious = subject complement
 He remained the same.
 remained = linking verb; same = subject complement
Even though in the above examples the subject complements seem to answer
the question “what?”, they are not direct objects. Because the words follow
linking verbs, they are subject complements.

Summary: What are Indirect Objects?

Define indirect object: the definition of indirect object is an object indirectly
affected by the action of the verb. Below are a few key features of indirect
objects.
An indirect object,

 is a noun or a pronoun
 receives the direct object
 answers to whom/what or for whom/what
 only follows transitive verbs
 occurs chronologically before the direct object