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Ethanw  #177288  Sun, 01 Jan 06 12:58 AM

Please advise if an article is needed for the object complement in the following sentences:

Bush was elected the President of the United States.

She was made the head of the committee.

 

  
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rvw  #177329  Sun, 01 Jan 06 03:18 AM
I would omit the in both sentences. 

My reasons are:

1.  One would most often hear these sentences without the.

2.  The is not needed to single out or specify -- the functions of the -- which president or committee head.

3.  A substantive (noun) objective complement  is like a defining adjective:  President Bush, Committee Head Jane.

4.  The essential linking verb (which calls for an objective complement) is to be.  These sentences can be unambiguously reworded with a form of to be and without theBush was President. She was head of the committee. In contrast, the would be needed in:  Bush was the second president to be impeached in twenty years.  She was the oldest head of the committee. In these latter cases, the is needed to specify which president and which committee head.

5.  I found these examples:
They elected Fressler chairman.  ---Understanding Grammar, by Paul Roberts

The team elected the twins co-captains. ---dailygrammar.com

The group appointed the new member secretary.  ---dailygrammar.com
  
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Ethanw  #177429  Sun, 01 Jan 06 09:09 AM

Hi rvw:

Thank you vry much for your reply. How about following sentences? Are they both correct, and why?

She made a fool of her supporters.

Don't make fool of me. 

Thank you again and Happy New Year.

Ethan wang

  
paco2004  #177432  Sun, 01 Jan 06 09:14 AM
 Ethanw wrote:
She made a fool of her supporters.

Don't make fool of me. 

She made fools of her supporters.

Don't make a fool of me

Happy New Year!

 

  
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rvw  #177829  Mon, 02 Jan 06 02:10 AM
I agree with paco2004 that the plural fools is needed to agree with supporters.

I also agree that the indefinite article a is needed in Don't make a fool of me.

(To make a fool of is an idiom which means to cause someone or oneself to look foolish or stupid.  ---dictionary.com)

From Understanding Grammar, by Paul Roberts:
Indefinite Article:  A term for the indefinite adjectives a and an.  These are weakened forms of the word one.  In general, the indefinite articles indicate that the nouns they modify are single and unidentified, but usage of the article is highly complex.
Fools does not get a because it is plural, and it does not get the because it does not designate specific fools.

In the second sentence, fool does get a because it is one fool, and it is not a specific fool.

There is a handy guide to the use of a, an, the, or nothing at all at http://www.davidappleyard.com/english/articles.htm
  
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