Sentence Factory · Today with The Mayor

Sentence Complements

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became links the museum to famous: museum = famous.

Sentence Complements

Every sentence is built from two halves. Work through each one, then test it on the line.

Subject

Predicate

Linking verbs link, they do not act

A linking verb connects the subject to a subject complement rather than showing action. Use the equals-sign test: if you can replace the verb with an equals sign and the sentence still makes sense, it is a linking verb ("She seems tired" means "She = tired").

On the line

The museum became famous .

became links the museum to famous: museum = famous.

Now you try

Use is, seems, becomes, or feels. Check it with the equals-sign test.

A predicate adjective describes the subject

A predicate adjective follows the linking verb and modifies the subject across it. In "The audience grew restless," restless describes the audience. It is one of the two subject complements.

On the line

This dinner tastes tangy .

tastes tangy. tangy describes the dinner.

Now you try

"The sky is ____." Your adjective is the predicate adjective.

A predicate nominative renames the subject

A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows the linking verb and renames the subject (subject = predicate nominative). In "The winner was she," she renames the winner. It is the other subject complement.

On the line

The speaker became the leader .

became the leader. leader renames the speaker.

Now you try

"My friend is the ____." Your noun is the predicate nominative.

Describe or rename: two subject complements

The subject complement does one of two jobs after a linking verb: describe the subject (a predicate adjective) or rename it (a predicate nominative). Both finish the meaning the linking verb opens.

On the line

The winner is a champion .

Predicate nominative: champion renames the winner.

Now you try

Describe it with a predicate adjective, then rename it with a predicate nominative.