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What does complement mean in English grammar?

In English grammar, "complement" refers to a word or phrase that completes the meaning of a verb or adjective. It provides essential information about the subject or object of the sentence, and it often follows the verb directly.

Here are the main types of complements:

1. Subject Complements:

* Predicative Nominative: A noun or pronoun that renames the subject.

* Example: "She is a doctor." (Doctor renames the subject "she")

* Predicative Adjective: An adjective that describes the subject.

* Example: "He seems happy." (Happy describes the subject "he")

2. Object Complements:

* Direct Object Complement: A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb and renames or describes the direct object.

* Example: "We elected her president." (President renames the direct object "her")

* Indirect Object Complement: A noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb indirectly.

* Example: "He gave her a book." (Her is the indirect object, receiving the book)

* Object Complement: A noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or modifies the direct object.

* Example: "They painted the house red." (Red describes the direct object "house")

3. Adjective Complements:

* Complements of adjectives: A word or phrase that follows an adjective and completes its meaning.

* Example: "She is very happy about her new job." (Very happy completes the meaning of the adjective "happy")

Key Points:

* Complements are essential for a sentence to have complete meaning.

* They are often found after the verb, but not always.

* They are used with both transitive and intransitive verbs.

* Understanding complements helps you analyze the structure of sentences and understand their meaning.

Let me know if you'd like to see more examples or have specific questions about complement types.

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