Complements

Objects

Exercise 1

On your paper, list the simple predicate and the direct object in each sentence in chart form

SAMPLE Many people affect the career of a singer.

ANSWER             Simple Predicate            Direct Object

                             affect                    career

1. The singer projects her voice from the stage to hundreds of people.
2. Some critics hail her as the new star of the decade.
3. Many investors have supported her first album and national tour.
4. The singer’s personality fascinates everyone at her concerts.
5. Helen and I categorize her as a rock singer.
6. The star’s dynamic style and dazzling looks fascinate adults and teens.
7. Perhaps you and I will invest some money in her career.
8. A glittering costume of sequins improved the cover of her new album.
9. A larger horn section in her band will add a more dynamic sound and texture to her music.
10. The technician in the recording studio increased the volume of the music for  a spectacular effect.
11. The angry singer fired her musical director and his assistant.
12. She appreciates the suggestions and professionalism of her new manager.
13. Many stars have fixed their teeth for a better public image.
14. Did you hear the interview with the singer on the radio today?
15. The disc jockey played some old songs and selections from the singer’ new album.
16. Hard work and shrewd advertising can turn a record into a hit.
17. One hit song on the radio gives fame and fortune to a singer.
18. Not every singer, however, produces great individual songs as well as best-selling albums.

Indirect Objects

Exercise 2

On your paper, list the simple predicates, indirect objects, and direct objects from the following sentences in chart form.  Not all sentences will have indirect objects.

SAMPLE:  Dave gave Yuko the word processing handbook.

ANSWER: Simple Predicate                      Indirect Object              Direct Object

                        gave                                  Yuko                                handbook

1. Dave uses the office computer for many kinds of documents.
2. Yuko gave him lessons in the use of the computer.
3.  A software company sent Dave special instructions.
4. The instructions give Dave and other people easy explanations about the use of the computer and its software.
5. Dave showed Yuko the first examples of his work on the computer.
6. Yuko offered her friend some helpful advice.
7. Many word processors already possess good writing skills.
8. Most beginning word processors, however, need more knowledge about computers.
9. Computers improve the typing speed of many employees.
10. Some employers establish computer courses for their employees.
11. After his course, Dave could compose and type letters and memos on the computer.
12. With his word-processing abilities, Dave saved his company valuable time.
13. Dave’s employer gave him and several other word processors a raise as a result of their new skills.
14. From time to time, Dave asks his coworkers questions about advanced techniques in the use of computer software.
15. You can use function keys and learn special commands for more efficient word processing.
16. A computer specialist showed the workers in Dave’s office special techniques for using graphics.
17. Employees use graphics in preparing company financial reports.
18. They can draw graphs, construct charts, and make tables.
19. The computer course gave Dave very useful knowledge about computers.
20. Computers give people a faster way of doing some things, and the technical possibilities  of computer use challenge people.

Identifying subjects, predicates, and objects

Exercise 3

On your paper, copy the following sentences.  Underline the simple subject once, and the simple predicate twice.  Write “DO” over the direct object, and “IO” over the indirect object.  Not all sentences will have an indirect object

SAMPLE:  Amy writes stories for a local newspaper.

                                          DO

ANSWER:  Amy writes stories for a local newspaper.

1. Some editors give reporters interesting assignments.
2. Most reporters study journalism, English, or political science in college.
3. While on a story, reporters must ask themselves five questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
4. Amy often interviews local politicians.
5. Sometimes she uses the telephone, and sometimes she meets people face to face.
6. Often, local citizens give the newspaper a tip about news.
7. The newspaper editor sends a reporter to the scene.
8. Political events, fires, and crimes usually occupy a great deal of space in newspapers.
9. Editors must determine the importance of the many stories.
10. They put the most important stories on the front page.
11. Amy gives her assignments her full attention.
12. She has followed politicians on the campaign trail.
13. Amy’s editor has given her stories top priority on several occasions.
14. Her articles often appear on page one of the newspaper.
15. Good reporters ask people challenging questions.
16. They give the public the most in-depth and complete story possible.
17. Good reporters also provide exciting writing for their readers.
18. Some public figures answer questions completely and give good interviews.
19. They tell Amy and other reporters important facts.
20. In most cities and towns, newspapers give citizens the necessary facts for making informed decisions.

Objective Complements

Exercise 4

On your paper, write the simple subject, simple predicate, indirect object, direct object, and objective complements in chart form.

SAMPLE:  Some consumers make health food an important part of their diets.

ANSWER:  Simple Subject                Simple Predicate                Indirect Object    Direct Object                Objective Complement

                                consumers                 make                                                       food                                    part

1.      Mr. Phelps named Don the manager of the Phelps health-food store.

2.      Don soon found himself very busy.

3.      Mr. Phelps thinks particular products very important.

4.      Grains, vegetables, and fruits can make some people less susceptible to heart disease.

5.      Don considers fruits and vegetables very healthful.

6.      Don calls whole wheat bread the biggest-selling product at the health-food store.

7.      Don elected himself the buyer for certain store products.

8.      He finds healthful snacks popular among his customers.

9.      Most health-food store customers consider their health the most important factor when buying food.

10.  Mr. Phelps considers cereals essential items in a health-food store.

11.  Customers make Mr. Phelps’ health-food store the first stop in their shopping trips.

12.  Mr. Phelps pays Don a salary equal to his responsibilities.

13.  Scientists consider wheat, oats, and barley important parts of a healthful diet.

14.  They give people facts important for buying healthful food.

15.  Don finds organically grown apples popular items in the store.

16.  Don appointed Sarah the sandwich maker in the store.

17.  She considers sprouts delicious in many kinds of sandwiches.

18.  Many customers find fresh peanut butter a tasty treat.

Subject Complements

Predicate Nominatives

Exercise 5

On your paper, write the predicate and predicate nominative in chart form.  Some sentences have compound nominatives.

SAMPLE: Chen is a carpenter

ANSWER:  Predicate                                  Nominative

                        is                                     carpenter

1. At the age of eighteen, Chen was a carpenter’s helper.
2. Learning the trade quickly, Chen did not long remain a helper.
3. He soon became an experienced builder.
4. Frank, Jake, and Shirley are carpenters working with Chen.
5. When constructing the frame of one house, Jake and Frank seemed experienced craftspersons.
6. The frame is the supporting skeleton of a building.
7. When putting up a frame, a hammer and nails are not the only items among a carpenter’s tools.
8. The building contractor is the worker’s boss.
9. Some of the tools of the carpentry trade are the hammer, the electric saw, the level, and a pencil.
10. Carpenters are usually fair mathematicians.
11. Measurements must be accurate reflections of dimensions on the building blueprints.
12. The blueprints are the architect’s plans for a building.
13. Weather may be a help or a hindrance to carpenters.
14. Work on a building’s interior is another of the carpenter’s many tasks.
15. Finish carpenters are those responsible for putting doors, windows, and molding in place.
16. Floor and staircase installation remain important tasks of the finish carpenter.
17. Goggles and breath masks are the carpenter’s protective equipment.
18. Some challenges to workers are many safety hazards as well as the deadline for completing the job.

Predicate Adjectives

Exercise 6

On your paper, write the predicate and predicate adjectives in chart form.  Some sentences have compound adjectives.

SAMPLE: House painters must be careful on the job.

ANSWER:  Predicate                                  Nominative

                        must be                        careful

1. Some oil-based house paints smell good.
2. Most kinds of paints, however, are poisonous.
3. Painters must be knowledgeable and skilled.
4. Oil paint is the messiest and hardest to clean.
5. Water-based paint is appropriate only for interior use.
6. When left un-cleaned, brushes with oil or water paint in them soon become useless.
7. A brush spinner is quite helpful in cleaning brushes.
8. A brush full of paint can become nearly clean with the help of a brush spinner.
9. After being rinsed with water, brushes with water paint can once again be usable.
10. Brushes laden with oil paint become cleaner after being rinsed thoroughly in paint thinner.
11. House exteriors look best when painted properly with oil-based exterior paint.
12. Regularly painted houses remain protected from the weather.
13. Some houses with unpainted but stained exteriors appear very attractive.
14. Many stains are colorless and are capable of showing the wood’s natural color.
15. The stained siding of some houses turns darker with time.
16. Weather seems important in altering a house’s original color.
17. Painters usually must be calm and cautious when working on the exterior and interior trim.
18. A paintbrush, a roller, a roller extension, and a rag are essential for a painter’s work.
19. Although very toxic, turpentine and paint thinner are also very helpful in cleaning brushes.
20. Painting contractors must be reliable, experienced, and skilled.

Distinguishing Complements

Exercise 7

On your paper, list the predicate, indirect object, direct object, objective complement, predicate adjective, and/or predicate nominative in chart form.

Sample: A: Jack is the captain of a fishing boat.

B: Frenita bought her mother a diamond necklace and became distraught when she                   lost it.

ANSWER:

predicate	indirect object	direct object	objective complement	predicate adjective	predicate nominative
is	captain
bought	mother	necklace
became				distraught

1. Jack considers his work enjoyable.
2. Jack charges people money for fishing trips.
3. Passengers bring fishing rods and fishing tackle on their trips.
4. They often catch huge fish during the trip.
5. Passengers bring fishing rods and fishing tackle on their trips.
6. Jack gives them a full day of fishing and sightseeing.
7. Passengers consider this an enjoyable experience.
8. Jack picks up his passengers at a dock in Miami, Florida.
9. He navigates the boat into the Atlantic Ocean, far off the coast of Florida.
10. Passengers soon find themselves used to the tossing of the waves.
11. They also become experts at fishing in not time at all.
12. Of course, lunch and dinner aboard the boat taste terrific.
13. People catch and eat sea trout and other saltwater fish.
14. a cook makes the passengers excellent meals from the fresh catch.
15. Some of the passengers, however, are just sightseers.
16. They are sunning themselves and watching the waves.
17. The entire voyage seems relatively short to most passengers.
18. Around sundown the captain steers the boat with its contented passengers toward shore.
19. All the passengers are tired but happy after the day-long voyage.
20. Jack gives one of his assistants directions for docking the boat.