What Is a Subject Complement Definition Types and Usage Examples
| Sentence | Linking Verb | Subject Complement | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| The soup smells delicious. | smells | delicious | Adjective |
| The new teacher is Mrs. Brown. | is | Mrs. Brown | Noun |
| My friends are happy. | are | happy | Adjective |
| The best player was he. | was | he | Pronoun |
What is a Subject Complement?
A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and tells something more about the subject. It can identify, rename, or describe the subject. Subject complements are especially important in sentences with linking verbs like "is," "are," "seem," "feel," and "become."
Types of Subject Complements
There are three main types of subject complements: predicate nouns, predicate adjectives, and predicate pronouns. Each type gives different information about the subject.
Predicate Noun (or Predicate Nominative)
A predicate noun names or identifies the subject. It usually comes after linking verbs such as "is," "are," "was," and "were."
- Example: My father is a doctor. ("doctor" renames "father")
- Example: That animal was a lion. ("lion" renames "animal")
Predicate Adjective
A predicate adjective describes the subject. It tells what the subject is like or how it feels.
- Example: The sky looks blue. ("blue" describes "sky")
- Example: The food is tasty. ("tasty" describes "food")
Predicate Pronoun
A predicate pronoun is a pronoun used as a subject complement. It normally follows verbs like "is" or "was." In formal English, use the subjective case (he, she, I).
- Example: It was she who called. ("she" refers to "it")
- Example: The winner is he. ("he" refers to "winner")
Subject Complement vs. Direct Object
Students often confuse subject complements with direct objects. Remember, a subject complement follows a linking verb and gives more information about the subject. A direct object receives the action of an action verb.
| Sentence | Verb Type | What Follows | Is it a Subject Complement? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The soup tastes delicious. | Linking Verb | delicious (about soup) | Yes |
| The cook tastes the soup. | Action Verb | the soup (receives action) | No (Direct Object) |
Subject Complement vs. Adverb
A subject complement tells about the subject, while an adverb describes how the action happens. Linking verbs are followed by subject complements, not adverbs. Watch for commonly confused sentences:
- Correct: She feels happy. ("happy" is a subject complement)
- Incorrect: She feels happily. ("happily" is an adverb; doesn’t describe "she")
Subject Complement vs. Object Complement
A subject complement gives more information about the subject after a linking verb. An object complement gives more information about an object after an action verb.
| Type | Example Sentence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Complement | Her dress is beautiful. | "beautiful" describes "Her dress" |
| Object Complement | They painted the wall green. | "green" describes "wall" (object) |
How to Identify Subject Complements in Sentences
- Find the linking verb ("is," "are," "was," "become," etc.).
- Check what comes after the verb.
- See if it renames or describes the subject.
- If yes, it is a subject complement.
Practice with sentences: "The winner is Rahul." (Rahul = subject complement, renames winner). "This cake tastes sweet." ("sweet" describes cake; subject complement).
More Subject Complement Examples
- This question is easy.
- Rohit became a pilot.
- The garden looks wonderful.
- Your friends seem excited.
- The leader was she.
- The idea sounds interesting.
- The answer is correct.
- The problem became bigger.
- The dog is mine.
- The story was true.
Practice Sentences: Find the Subject Complement
Can you spot the subject complement in each sentence?
- This book is helpful.
- My brother became a doctor.
- Her smile looks genuine.
- The best player was he.
- The plan seems perfect.
Why Are Subject Complements Important?
Subject complements appear in exams and writing tasks. They help you build clear, correct sentences. Mastery of subject complements also improves spoken English and helps you avoid common grammar errors. At Vedantu, we focus on such core grammar topics to boost confidence in all English learners.
Related Grammar Resources
- Subject and Predicate
- Linking, Intransitive, and Transitive Verbs
- Predicate Adjective
- Predicate Noun (Noun Phrase)
- Types of Sentences
- Direct and Indirect Speech: Rules and Examples
- Order of Words in a Sentence
- Parts of Speech
- Predicate Structure in English Grammar
- Basics of Grammar
- Clauses
To sum up, a subject complement follows a linking verb and gives important details about the subject. It can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective. Learning this topic with definitions, tables, and examples will help you in exams, writing, and everyday English. For more grammar guides, visit Vedantu’s English grammar resources.
FAQs on Subject Complement in English Grammar Explained
1. What is a subject complement in English grammar?
A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and renames or describes the subject of a sentence. It completes the meaning of the subject and gives more information about it.
- It comes after a linking verb such as be, seem, become, appear, feel.
- It refers back to the subject.
- It can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective.
2. What are the types of subject complements?
The two main types of subject complements are predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives. These two forms describe or rename the subject.
- Predicate nominative: A noun or pronoun that renames the subject. Example: “Tom is my brother.”
- Predicate adjective: An adjective that describes the subject. Example: “The sky is blue.”
3. What is the difference between a subject complement and a direct object?
The main difference is that a subject complement follows a linking verb and describes the subject, while a direct object follows an action verb and receives the action.
- Subject complement: “She is happy.” (describes she)
- Direct object: “She reads books.” (receives the action of reads)
4. How do you identify a subject complement in a sentence?
You can identify a subject complement by checking if it follows a linking verb and refers back to the subject.
- Step 1: Find the subject.
- Step 2: Look for a linking verb (is, are, was, seem, become).
- Step 3: See if the word after the verb renames or describes the subject.
5. What is a predicate nominative?
A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and renames the subject. It gives the subject another name or identity.
- Structure: Subject + Linking Verb + Predicate Nominative
- Example: “She is the winner.”
- Example with pronoun: “It was I.” (formal usage)
6. What is a predicate adjective?
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the subject. It adds detail about the subject’s condition, appearance, or quality.
- Structure: Subject + Linking Verb + Predicate Adjective
- Example: “The children are excited.”
- Example: “The room became quiet.”
7. Can a pronoun be a subject complement?
Yes, a pronoun can function as a subject complement when it follows a linking verb and renames the subject. In formal English, the pronoun should be in the subjective case.
- Formal: “It is I.”
- Informal: “It is me.”
8. What verbs are used with subject complements?
Subject complements are used with linking verbs, not action verbs. Linking verbs connect the subject to additional information.
- Forms of be: am, is, are, was, were
- Sensory verbs: seem, appear, feel, look, sound, taste, smell
- Change-of-state verbs: become, grow, turn, remain
9. Why is a subject complement important in a sentence?
A subject complement is important because it completes the meaning of a linking verb and provides essential information about the subject. Without it, the sentence would feel incomplete.
- Incomplete: “She is…”
- Complete: “She is a doctor.”
10. Can a subject complement be a phrase or clause?
Yes, a subject complement can be a noun phrase, adjective phrase, or even a clause that renames or describes the subject. It still follows a linking verb.
- Noun phrase: “His dream is to become a pilot.”
- Clause: “The problem is that we are late.”
