functional names

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Anonymous  #448756  Sun, 02 Dec 07 08:46 AM

Hi,

I think my understanding of functional terms of basic sentence structures is limited and I have written some below based on what I know.

He kicked the ball. -- subject  + verb +object

He is good. -- subject +verb +adjective

Then, when it gets complicated when I see such a sentence like this:

It will make them wise.

Can you parse this or tell me what functional role each part takes. How do we know or confirm if the above sentence is correctly formulated? 

Also, if you don't mind, please tell me what "complement" is? I hear "verb complement", "adjective complement" and "noun complement" somewhat a lot and I don't know what they are. 

  
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Mister Micawber  #448778  Sun, 02 Dec 07 10:04 AM

It -- S
will make-- V
them-- DO
wise-- Object Complement


The topic of complements is a broad and complex one, but here is a good basic introduction from an on-line source:

Complement

A complement is used with verbs like be, seem, look etc. Complements give more information about the subject or, in some structures, about the object.

There are various definitions of 'complement', which range from the very general (anything in the predicate except the verb, including the direct object and adverbs) to the much more restrictive one used here.

A complement is the part of the sentence that gives you more information about the subject (a subject complement) or the object (an object complement) of the sentence.

The complement to be used, if any, is dependent on the verb used in the sentence. Subject complements normally follow certain verbs.

For example:

  • He is Spanish.
  • She became an engineer.
  • That man looks like John.

Object complements follow the direct object of the verb-

For example.

  • They painted the house red.
  • She called him an idiot!
  • I saw her standing there.

The complement often consists of an adjective or noun phrase, but can also be a participle phrase, as in the last example. It is often not very clear whether a phrase is a complement or an adverbial.



  
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