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What is a complement (sentence pattern)?

 A complement is any word or phrase that completes the sense of a subject, an object, or a verb.

·         A subject complement follows a linking verb; it is normally an adjective or a noun that renames or defines in some way the subject.

o    A glacier is a huge body of ice.

o    Glaciers are beautiful and potentially dangerous at the same time.

o    This glacier is not yet fully formed. (verb form acting as an adjective, a participle)

Adjective complements are also called predicate adjectives; noun complements are also called predicate nouns or predicate nominatives.

·         An object complement follows and modifies or refers to a direct object. It can be a noun or adjective or any word acting as a noun or adjective.

o    The convention named Dogbreath Vice President to keep him happy. (The noun "Vice President" complements the direct object "Dogbreath"; the adjective "happy" complements the object "him.")

o    The clown got the children too excited. (The participle "excited" complements the object "children.")

·         A verb complement is a direct or indirect object of a verb.

o    Granny left Raoul all her money. (Both "money" [the direct object] and "Raoul" [the indirect object] are said to be the verb complements of this sentence.)