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You are here: Home / Lessons / Object complement

Object complement

October 3, 2014 - pdf

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)
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