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Daniel Kies Department of English College of DuPage |
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| Modern English
Grammar English 2126 |
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The Object Complement
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The object complement completes a reference and/or an implication suggested by the object of the clause. The object complement is identifiable by its form, position, reference, and agreement.
Form. Object complements are most usually noun phrases or adjective phrases, although a clause may assume this function on occasion.
They elected her Chair of the department (OC).
We find this music most pleasant (OC).
Position. Object complements only occur if there is an object in the clause and then occur normally after that object.
They elected her Chair of the department (OC).
*They elected Chair of the department (OC).
*They elected Chair of the department (OC) her.
And unlike objects themselves, object complements do not have any passive voice corresponding clauses, in which the complement appears in the subject position.
*Chair of the department was elected her by them.
Reference. Since all complements imply a reference, object complements complete a reference to the object of the clause. There is in effect a copular relation that exists between the object and its complement, in that the object and its complement can be paraphrased by a SVC structure, like this:
They elected her (O) Chair of the department (C).
She (S) is Chair of the department (C).
Agreement. Object complements usually agree with the object in number (singular or plural).
She made Liz and Emily (DO) her assistants (OC).
She made Frank (DO) her assistant (OC).
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