Study the sentence given below. Does it make complete sense?
- They elected Martin.
While this sentence has a subject, a verb and an object, it does not make complete sense. We understand that Martin has been elected, but we don’t know what position he occupies. In this case, we need a word or phrase to complete the meaning of the object.
- They elected Martin their president.
Here the noun ‘their president’ acts as the object complement.
More examples are given below.
- They named the boy Christopher. (Subject – they; verb – named; object – the boy; object complement – Christopher)
Here the noun ‘Christopher’ completes what is said about the object ‘the boy’ and hence it acts as the object complement.
More examples are given below.
- James calls his dog Tiger. (Subject – James; verb – calls; object – his dog; object complement – Tiger)
- The members elected Mathews their president. (Subject – the members; verb – elected; object – Mathews; object complement – their president)
- The minister made his nephew his private secretary. (Object complement – his private secretary)
- The king named his youngest son his successor.
The object complement can also be an adjective or an adjective phrase.
- My reply made my father angry. (Subject – my reply; verb – made; object – my father; object complement – angry)
- The manager kept the clerks always busy. (Object complement – always busy)
- The teachers considered the boy very bright. (Object complement – very bright)
- The judge found the accused guilty. (Object complement – guilty)
- He proved them wrong. (Object complement – wrong)