Linking Verb and Subject Complement
Types of Complements
Here we will focus on Linking verb and subject complement.
Linking Verbs and Subject Complement
Sometimes the verb is neither enough on its own, nor does it take any object after it.
To make a meaningful sentence we sometimes require some word(s) after the verb which are not objects - Hence called Intransitive Verb of Incomplete Predication.
Compare these sentences:
The baby sleeps. (sounds complete)
The baby seems. (sounds incomplete)
The baby seems happy. (Object is missing; happy is a subject complement; seems is a linking verb)
- A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and identifies or describes the subject.
The baby seems happy.
Happy is the complement here, as happy is not a separate entity. Baby is the one who is happy, i.e. baby = happy.
- A linking verb connects the subject of the sentence to subjective complement (that gives information about the subject).
Subject + Linking Verb + Subjective Complement
If we can substitute any verb with an equal sign [=] and the sentence still makes sense, the verb is almost always a linking verb.
Rohit is an engineer. (Rohit = engineer)
List of linking verbs
Some linking verbs – be (is, am, are, was, were), appear, become, feel, get, go, grow, look, seem, taste, turn etc.
The ice on the roof grew thicker by the moment.
The ice on the roof was thicker by the moment.
He appears crazy.
He is crazy.
Although we call verbs as linking, intransitive and transitive verbs (just as most trainers, grammar books and websites do), it is not entirely accurate.
A verb may be a linking, intransitive or transitive verb, based on how it has been used in a sentence (it is context based).
| Verb - grow | Verb type in the sentence |
|---|---|
| The sky grew dark. | Working as linking verb |
| Trees grow slowly. | Working as intransitive verb |
| I grow banana trees. | Working as transitive verb |
Object vs. Subject Complement
An object receives the action of the subject, while subject complement adds additional information about the subject.
Nicole is tired. (tired is a subject complement. Both are talking about the same entity.)
I have a ball. (ball is an object. I and ball are separate entities.)
Jim made the cake for Victoria. (the cake is direct object; Victoria is prepositional object. There is no complement as no word comes for another word. There are three separate entities in this sentence.)
What can function as subject complement?
- Subjective complement may be a noun/noun phrase or pronoun (they rename the subject; also called predicate nouns or predicate nominatives):
Saturn is a planet. (noun) (Saturn = planet)
It is I. (pronoun) (It = I)
The result is that she is injured. (noun phrase)
My favorite activity is surfing in the ocean. (gerund phrase working as noun phrase)
- Subjective complement may be an adjective/adjective phrase (they describe or modify the subject; also called predicate adjectives):
The sky grew dark. (adjective) (sky = dark)
The house is in prime condition. (preposition phrase working as an adjective phrase)
(house = in prime condition)
The manager seems worried. (participle) (manager = worried)
The shop is to let. (infinitive) (shop = to let)
My habit is to sleep early. (infinitive phrase) (my habit = to sleep early)
Don’t use an adverb as a subject complement - Because subject complement describes the subject and not the verb, so it cannot be an adverb.
This soup tastes badly. (incorrect)
This soup tastes bad. (correct)
He spoke intelligently. (incorrect)
He seems intelligent. (correct)
Case of Subject Complement
Subject complement is in subjective case - because a subject complement provides more information about the subject.
| Subjective form | Objective form |
|---|---|
| I | me |
| we | us |
| you | you |
| he, she, it | him, her, it |
| they | them |
| who | whom |
I didn’t kick you! It was he.
(It = subject; was = linking verb; he = subject complement.)
Extra Books and Tools
If you prefer to learn via books, or want some good English Grammar books for reference purposes, you may read this article which enlists some of the books recommended by us.