Subject Complements
A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that appears with a linking verb
and tells something about the subject.
There are two kinds of subject complements: predicate nominatives (nouns) and
predicate adjectives.
A predicate nominative (noun) is a noun or a pronoun that appears with a linking verb
and tells something about the subject:
EXAMPLES:
1. Neil Armstrong became an astronaut.
linking verb predicate noun
(LV)
(PN)
2. John Glenn is a former astronaut and senator.
(LV)
(PN)
(PN)
PRACTICE: Label the linking verbs and the predicate nouns.
1. Pete is the captain of the tennis team.
2. Personal computers were a new invention in the 1980’s.
3. Kennedy became president in the 1960’s.
4. Mrs. Jones will become the principal next year.
5. Education is the only hope for millions of poor children in America.
A predicate adjective is an adjective that appears with a linking verb and tells
something about the subject
EXAMPLES:
1. The
surface
of
2.Today, space travel
the
planet
looked
linking verb
(LV)
hilly.
predicate adjective
(PA)
seems plausible and exciting.
(LV)
(PA)
(PA)
PRACTICE: Locate the linking verbs and the predicate adjectives.
1. My grandmother looks young for her age.
2. Paula appeared upset after reading the letter.
3. Our new dog is black and white.
4. The class was rowdy after recess.
5. The students remained silent during the test.
Exercise 21 page 426
Directions: Locate the linking verb. Then write its complement(s). Write PN or PA next
to the complement.
EXAMPLE:
After the mission, the crew looked exhausted.
Answer: exhausted (PA)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
For thousands of years, spaceflight seemed a dream.
The desire to fly remained distant and elusive.
Nicholas Copernicus was a Polish astronomer in the sixteenth century.
His observations of the universe were quite insightful.
Other contributors to the study of astronautics were physicists,
mathematicians, and astronomers.
6. The information quickly became very advanced.
7. Poor technology was the obstacle.
8. In the early twentieth century, the study of rocket propulsion was promising.
9. The development of new inventions seemed rapid.
10. The dream of space travel became a reality.
EXERCISE 22
Directions: Write a predicate nominative or a predicate adjective thart completes
each sentence.
1.The organization responsible for our space program is
____________________. (PN)
2. America’s investment in the space program seems ___________. (PA)
3. For astronauts, going into space to repair orbiting equipment seems
________. (PA)
4. Films of astronauts walking in space are ______________. (PA)
5. From the astronaut’s radio reports, space missions sound ________.
(PA)