English Grammar Drills - Mark Lester 2009
2. Object + noun phrase complement
11 Multiple Verb Complements
Part 2 Verb Phrases
The term complement refers to a noun phrase or adjective that follows an object and renames that object. That is, the object (Obj) and the object complement must refer to the same person or thing. The object complement can be a noun phrase complement (NP Comp) or an adjective complement (Adj Comp).
In both sentences, the object complement refers back to the object:
his boss = a fool (noun phrase complement)
his boss = foolish (adjective complement)
Here are some more examples of noun phrase complements:
One of the problems with object complements is that they look so much like the more common indirect objects in an indirect object + direct object complement construction. Both object complements and direct objects follow other noun phrases. How can we tell them apart?
We can easily tell them apart because in an object complement sentence, the person or object in the object complement must be the same person or object as the preceding noun (the object). In an indirect object + direct object sentence, they are never the same person or object. Compare the following two sentences:
A second way to tell them apart is to use the to/for paraphrase. This paraphrase will work for indirect object + direct object complements, but it will never work for object + object complement sentences. For example:
Exercise 11.4
Underline and label the noun phrases that follow the verbs in the following sentences, using Obj + NP Comp and IO + DO for the two complement types. Confirm your answer by showing both tests: the =/≠ test and the to/for paraphrase.
1. I have often wished myself a better person.
2. The board considers the CEO a great natural leader.
3. We told them the truth.
4. The President appointed her Undersecretary of State for Latin Affairs.
5. The newspaper named AMPEX Corporation the company of the year.
6. Senator Blather considered himself an expert on foreign affairs.
7. I told them my name.
8. The minister wished them a long and happy life.
9. The magazine ranked him one of the best young golfers in the state.
10. Bruce confessed himself a junk-food addict.
11. The press called her a rising star in the industry.
12. I found us a terrific apartment.
13. I found John a bit of a bore.
14. He made himself a cheese sandwich.
15. He made himself a first-rate bridge player.