What is a Subject Complement?

S2-SA1-0100

Grade Level:

Class 1

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and describes or renames the subject of the sentence. It gives more information about the subject, telling us what the subject is or what it is like.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your friend, Rohan, just scored a century in cricket. You could say, 'Rohan is a great batsman.' Here, 'Rohan' is the subject, 'is' is the linking verb, and 'a great batsman' tells us more about Rohan – it describes him. So, 'a great batsman' is the subject complement.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's find the subject complement in the sentence: 'The samosa tastes delicious.'

Step 1: Identify the subject. The subject is what the sentence is about. Here, it's 'The samosa.'
---Step 2: Find the verb. The verb is the action word or linking word. Here, it's 'tastes.'
---Step 3: Check if the verb is a linking verb. Linking verbs connect the subject to a word that describes or renames it (like 'is,' 'am,' 'are,' 'was,' 'were,' 'seems,' 'tastes,' 'feels,' 'looks,' 'smells'). 'Tastes' is a linking verb.
---Step 4: Identify the word or phrase that follows the linking verb and describes or renames the subject. After 'tastes,' we have 'delicious.' Does 'delicious' describe the samosa? Yes, it tells us what the samosa is like.
---Answer: The subject complement is 'delicious.'

Why It Matters

Understanding subject complements helps you write clear and descriptive sentences, which is crucial for good communication. Journalists use them to describe events accurately, and lawyers use them to present facts clearly in court. Mastering this skill can help you become a better writer, speaker, and even a clearer thinker, useful in careers like content writing, law, or public speaking.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing a subject complement with a direct object. | CORRECTION: A direct object receives the action of an action verb. A subject complement follows a linking verb and describes/renames the subject. Example: 'He eats an apple.' ('apple' is direct object). 'He is happy.' ('happy' is subject complement).

MISTAKE: Thinking only nouns can be subject complements. | CORRECTION: Subject complements can be nouns (e.g., 'He is a student') or adjectives (e.g., 'She is smart'). They can also be pronoun or noun phrases.

MISTAKE: Missing the linking verb and incorrectly identifying a word after an action verb as a subject complement. | CORRECTION: Always check that the verb connecting the subject to the complement is a linking verb (like 'is,' 'seems,' 'becomes,' 'feels,' 'looks').

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Identify the subject complement in: 'The sky is blue.' | ANSWER: blue

QUESTION: Find the subject complement in: 'My friend became a doctor.' | ANSWER: a doctor

QUESTION: In the sentence, 'The old fort looks magnificent in the evening light,' what is the subject complement? | ANSWER: magnificent

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of these sentences contains a subject complement?

She bought a new book.

He runs fast every morning.

The chai tastes sweet.

They played cricket yesterday.

The Correct Answer Is:

In option C, 'tastes' is a linking verb, and 'sweet' describes the subject 'chai'. The other options have action verbs followed by direct objects or adverbs.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you read news headlines like 'Indian economy becomes stronger' or 'The new smartphone looks amazing,' you are seeing subject complements in action. They quickly tell you what the economy is like or what the smartphone is like, making the information easy to grasp. This is vital for news reporting and product descriptions.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

LINKING VERB: A verb that connects the subject to a word that describes or renames it, rather than showing action. | SUBJECT: The person or thing that the sentence is about. | NOUN: A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. | ADJECTIVE: A word that describes a noun or pronoun. | PREDICATE NOMINATIVE: A noun or pronoun that serves as a subject complement.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Great job learning about subject complements! Next, you can explore 'Direct Objects' and 'Indirect Objects.' Understanding these will help you identify different parts of a sentence and write even more complex and correct sentences.