2 Subject and complement
The following sentences illustrate a second pattern: Subject + Verb + Complement.
- Aphrodite is beautiful
- Themistocles is a general
- The grass is green
- The citizens are unhappy
These sentences consist of three parts:
- a subject (e.g. ‘Aphrodite’ or ‘the citizens’)
- a ‘linking’ verb like ‘is’, or ‘are’
- a ‘complement’, describing the subject. The complement is usually an adjective (e.g. ‘green’) or a noun (‘a general’), but phrases are also possible, such as ‘the book is on the table’.
Just a handful of verbs are able to ‘link’ subjects and complements. Note that verbs that take objects, for instance ‘chases’, ‘eats’ or ‘loves’, do not have this capability.
Activity 2 Linking verbs
In the sentence ‘The grass is green’, can you think of other ‘linking’ verbs that could replace ‘is’?
Discussion
The list of verbs that can link subjects and complements is short. It would include:
- seems
- looks
- appears
- becomes
- remains
A ‘linking’ verb is the main clue to a Subject + Verb + Complement sentence, in Greek as well as English. A form of the verb ‘to be’, such as ‘is’, ‘are’ or ‘was’ is the most common. This is the verb that will be concentrated on here.
A second clue is that a complement, unlike an object, provides a description of the subject. The relationship between subject and complement is often close, as between ‘Aphrodite’ and ‘beautiful’ or ‘Themistocles’ and ‘a general’.
Activity 3 Objects or complements?
Are the highlighted words or phrases objects or complements?
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is b.
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is a.
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is b.
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is b.
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is a.
a.
object
b.
complement
The correct answer is b.
Discussion
The verbs ‘is’, ‘appears’ and ‘are’ are linking verbs that raise the prospect of a complement. The complement, when it appears, describes the subject. This is not true of objects like ‘the door’ or ‘the man’.
a.
brave
b.
cowards
c.
[a subject]
d.
[an object]
e.
[a complement]
The correct answers are a, b and e.
Discussion
The verb ‘are’ is a linking verb, raising the expectation of a complement. The sentence already has a subject. An object is not possible after the verb ‘to be’.