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The 'subject complement' is the word (with any accompanying phrase) or clause that follows a linking verb (copula) and complements, or completes, the subject of the sentence by either (1) renaming it or (2) describing it. The former, a renaming noun (or sometimes a pronoun), is technically called a 'predicate noun' or predicate nominative (or in some cases, a predicate pronoun). The latter, a describing adjective, is called a 'predicate adjective'.
Subject complements are used only with a class of verbs called linking verbs or copulative verbs, of which ''to be'' is the most common. Unlike object complements, subject complements are not affected by the action of the verb, and they describe or explain the subject.
Examples of sentences with subject complements:
The lake was a tranquil pool.
"Was" is a linking verb which links the subject complement (predicate noun modified by an adjective) "tranquil pool" to the subject "lake."
The lake is tranquil.
"Tranquil" is a predicate adjective linked through the verb "is."[1]
It is commonly held that in the statement "It's I" (or "'Tis I"), "be" acts as a transitive verb and thus, ''I'' would be incorrect since it should be the object, and the objective case ''me'' should be used. In fact, in terms of common usage, especially in informal speech, "It's me" is rather common.
However, many prescriptive grammarians frown upon this usage and regard it as a mistake. In this case, ''I'' is not affected by the action of the verb is, and it specifies exactly who the subject ''It'' is. In formal English, the subject complement therefore takes the subjective case. Usually, this makes no difference in the sentence because English nouns no longer distinguish between subjective and objective case. But English pronouns make the distinction, and the subject complement takes I instead of me. "It's I" sounds strange to many English speakers, but is considered correct by prescriptivists. In other contexts, the subject complement may sound less strange, such as "This is she" rather than "This is her."
For this reason, one should say "who is it?", as opposed to the incorrect "whom is it?". This often causes confusion when explaining, as the more infrequent usage of "It's I", opting instead for "It's me" would imply that "me" is the object of the verb "to be", and therefore "whom" ought to be employed.
At this point, the use of the subjective in the subject complement has almost entirely disappeared. Both usages are still current, but the use of subjective in the subject complement is much less common.
The use of a nominative complement "It is I" is by no means universal in other languages. For example, French-speakers say ''c'est moi'' (it's me) not ''c'est je''. Here, ''moi'' is a disjunctive pronoun, or less technically, a ''stressed pronoun''.
The same considerations apply to "It's we" versus "It's us", "It's he" versus "It's him", and so on.
★ Predicate (grammar)
★ Predicative (adjectival or nominal)
★ Clefting
★ Copula
★ Disjunctive pronoun
★ Disputed English grammar
★ English personal pronouns
1. UCalgary
★ AUE: FAQ excerpt
Subject complements are used only with a class of verbs called linking verbs or copulative verbs, of which ''to be'' is the most common. Unlike object complements, subject complements are not affected by the action of the verb, and they describe or explain the subject.
| Contents |
| Examples |
| It's I/It's me |
| See also |
| References |
| External link |
Examples
Examples of sentences with subject complements:
The lake was a tranquil pool.
"Was" is a linking verb which links the subject complement (predicate noun modified by an adjective) "tranquil pool" to the subject "lake."
The lake is tranquil.
"Tranquil" is a predicate adjective linked through the verb "is."[1]
It's I/It's me
It is commonly held that in the statement "It's I" (or "'Tis I"), "be" acts as a transitive verb and thus, ''I'' would be incorrect since it should be the object, and the objective case ''me'' should be used. In fact, in terms of common usage, especially in informal speech, "It's me" is rather common.
However, many prescriptive grammarians frown upon this usage and regard it as a mistake. In this case, ''I'' is not affected by the action of the verb is, and it specifies exactly who the subject ''It'' is. In formal English, the subject complement therefore takes the subjective case. Usually, this makes no difference in the sentence because English nouns no longer distinguish between subjective and objective case. But English pronouns make the distinction, and the subject complement takes I instead of me. "It's I" sounds strange to many English speakers, but is considered correct by prescriptivists. In other contexts, the subject complement may sound less strange, such as "This is she" rather than "This is her."
For this reason, one should say "who is it?", as opposed to the incorrect "whom is it?". This often causes confusion when explaining, as the more infrequent usage of "It's I", opting instead for "It's me" would imply that "me" is the object of the verb "to be", and therefore "whom" ought to be employed.
At this point, the use of the subjective in the subject complement has almost entirely disappeared. Both usages are still current, but the use of subjective in the subject complement is much less common.
The use of a nominative complement "It is I" is by no means universal in other languages. For example, French-speakers say ''c'est moi'' (it's me) not ''c'est je''. Here, ''moi'' is a disjunctive pronoun, or less technically, a ''stressed pronoun''.
The same considerations apply to "It's we" versus "It's us", "It's he" versus "It's him", and so on.
See also
★ Predicate (grammar)
★ Predicative (adjectival or nominal)
★ Clefting
★ Copula
★ Disjunctive pronoun
★ Disputed English grammar
★ English personal pronouns
References
1. UCalgary
External link
★ AUE: FAQ excerpt
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