ref – https://www.superenglishgrammar.com/2024/05/object-complement.html
List of verbs that take object complements:
‘Is’ test
He paints the wall green. wall ‘is’ green
We found the house empty. house ‘is’ empty
We consider the matter very important. matter ‘is’ important
I find the dish repulsive. dish ‘is’ repulsive
That case made the lawyer famous. lawyer ‘is’ famous
We name our daughter Lexus. daughter ‘is’ Lexus
The Americans elect Trump president. Trump ‘is’ president
The boss declares the store bankrupt.
The boulder knocks the man unconscious.
I got him angry. he ‘is’ angry.
He considers me a fool. I ‘am’ a fool.
He painted the wall green.
We found the house empty.
We consider the matter very important
find – I find the dish repulsive
make – That case made the lawyer famous.
name – We name our daughter Benz.
consider – I consider you a failure.
color – We paint the house blue.
elect – The americans elect Trump president.
declare – The boss declares the store bankrupt.
knock – The boulder knocks the man unconscious.
shoot – We shoot the ball far.
get – I got him angry.
consider – We consider this matter very important.
Nouns as Object Complements
They elected John leader. (“leader” = noun object complement; “John” = direct object)
I named the dog cracker. (“cracker” = noun object complement; “the dog” = direct object)
He considers me a fool. (“a fool” = noun object complement; “me” = direct object)
Noun Phrases as Object Complements
He made me a better person. (“a better person” = noun phrase as object complement; “me” = direct object)
The students elected John class leader. (“class leader” = noun phrase as object complement; “John” = direct object)
The workers consider Smith their true representative. (“their true representative” = noun phrase as object complement; “Smith” = direct object)
Adjectives as Object Complements
An adjective object complement describes the direct object, providing additional information about its qualities or state.
The judges found her innocent. (“innocent” = adjective as object complement; “her” = direct object)
I’ll paint my office green. (“green” = adjective as object complement; “my office” = direct object)
The company found him able. (“able” = adjective as object complement; “him” = direct object)
Adjective Phrases as Object Complements
Adjective phrases, a group of words whose head word is an adjective, can function as an object complement.
The company found her worthy of the position. (“worthy of the position” = adjective phrase as object complement; “her” = direct object)
b. The judges declared him guilty of the crime. (“guilty of the crime” = adjective phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)
c. They painted their house light blue. (“light blue” = adjective phrase as object complement; “their house” = direct object)
Relative Clause as object complement:
A relative clause, a group of words containing a subject and predicate and describing and giving more information about a noun or pronoun, can also be used as an object complement.
For examples:
Hard work made me what I am today. (“what I am today” = relative clause as object complement; “me” direct object)
I like the room that’s painted blue. (“that’s painted blue” = relative clause as object complement; “the room” = direct object)
I can’t tell the person who doesn’t listen to me. (“who doesn’t listen to me” = relative clause as object complement; “the person” = direct object)
Gerund Phrase as Object Complement
A gerund or gerund phrase, verb+ing, can also act as an object complement and give us more information about an object in a sentence.
For examples:
She found him stealing the money. (“stealing the money” = gerund phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)
I found her sleeping in the office. (“sleeping in the office” = gerund phrase as object complement; “her” = direct object)
They caught him helping the criminal. (“helping the criminal” = gerund phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)
Infinitive Phrase as Object Complement
An infinitive phrase, a group of words whose head word is an infinitive, can function as an object complement and give us more information about an object within a sentence.
For examples:
He wants me to be his spoken English tutor. (“to be his spoken English tutor” = infinitive as object complement; “me” = direct object)
I want you to be my spiritual guru. (“to be my spiritual guru” = infinitive as object complement; “you” = direct object)
I encourage you to be an online tutor. (“to be an online tutor” = infinitive as object complement; “you” = direct object)
Prepositional Phrase as Object Complement
She considers the project in its final stages.
We found the book on the shelf.
They named the team after their hometown.
The committee elected him as their spokesperson.
I always want my coffee with a dash of cinnamon.
The teacher left the students in a state of confusion.
The artist painted the wall with vivid colors.
The coach deemed the players ineligible for the tournament.
Participial Phrases as Object Complements
A participial phrase, a group of words usually ending in:
- -ing [present participle]
- -ed [past participle]
can also do the task of an object complement and give us more information about an object in the sentence.
For examples:
I saw the cat bleeding. (“bleeding” present participle as object complement; “the cat” = direct object)
I like the argument presented. (“presented” = past participle as object complement; “the argument” = direct object)
I take the medicine prescribed. (“prescribed” = past participle as object complement; “the medicine” = direct object)
Comparing Object Complements with Other Elements
1. Object Complement vs Direct Object:
-
An object complement identifies or describes a direct object:
subj – transitive verb – direct object <-- [object complement] -
A direct object receives the action performed by the subject of a sentence.
subj – transitive verb – direct object
Compare the object complement with the direct object below:
Example of Object Complement:
He painted his office yellow. (“yellow” = object complement which describes the direct object “his office”)
Example of Direct Object:
I have eaten the apple. (“the apple” = direct object which receives the action of “eating” performed by the subject “I”)
2. Object Complement vs Subject Complement:
An object complement is used after a direct object, and it gives us more information about the direct object
a subject complement is used after a linking verb, and it gives us more information about the subject of the sentence.
Example of Object Complement:
We found him innocent. (“innocent” = object complement used after the direct object “him”)
Example of Subject Complement:
John is innocent. (“innocent” subject complement used after the linking verb “is”)
3. Adjectives Modifying Nouns vs Adjective Object Complements:
Adjectives modifying nouns are different from the adjectives that are used as object complements. Adjectives modifying nouns are generally used before the words they modify,
Adjectives used as object complements are the adjectives that are used after direct objects.
(Note that the adjectives are in bold and the modified words are italicized in the following examples.)
Example of Adjective Modifying Noun:
My new bike is very fast. (“new” = adjective modifying the noun used before the noun it modifies: “bike”)
Example of Adjective Used as Object Complement:
They painted the bike blue. (“blue” = object complement used after the direct object it modifies: “the bike”)
4. Object Complements vs Adverbs:
An object complement completes the direct object,
whereas an adverb modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb.
Example of Object Complement:
I called the man a fool. (“a fool” = object complement completing the direct object “the man”)
Example of Adverb:
I called the man yesterday. (“yesterday” = adverb modifying the verb “called”)