View source for Complement (grammar)

{{Grammar}}
''(For the commonly confused homophones, see [[compliment - complement]])''

In [[grammar]], a '''complement''' is that which '''completes''' a [[sentence]]. For some sentences, Subject + Verb is enough ("John runs"), for others, we instinctively feel that something more is required ("John has"). There may be more than one Object, or Complement, in a Clause.

Traditionally, the only functions called Complements were the copular or adjectival Complement:
* The '''copular Complement''' follows the [[verb]] '[[to be]]' (this verb is called the ''copula''). For example, in the sentence â€œShe is Scottishâ€, â€˜Scottishâ€™ is the '''Complement''' of â€˜isâ€™; in the sentence â€œThis is '''Hull'''â€, â€˜Hullâ€™ is the '''complement''' of â€˜isâ€™; and â€˜Thursdayâ€™ is the '''complement''' of â€˜isâ€™ in â€œToday is '''Thursday'''â€ . 
*  The '''adjectival Complement''' (.... WRITE ME)

Other functions may or may not be called Complements, depending on which grammarian you ask:

* The '''prepositional complement''' is the name given to the [[noun]] or [[noun phrase]] that follows a [[preposition]], such as "in '''town'''", "at '''work'''", or "the pen of '''my aunt'''".

* Direct 
* Indirect.