In grammar, a subject complement is a predicative expression that follows a linking verb/copula BE (am,is,are,was,were) and that complements the subject of the sentence by either renaming it or describing it.
If we want to know whether a phrase or a word is a subject complement or not, we can equalize it with the subject of the sentence.
Example:
1. Malaysians are rich.
-----> Malaysians = rich (rich is subject complement to Malaysians)
2. Ali is hardworking.
-----> Ali = hardworking (hardworking is subject complement to Ali)
3. Ali is going to school.
-----> Ali ≠ to school ( to school is not subject complement for Ali because the main verb is "go"[not a determining factor]).
Determining factor
Two factors help us to determine subject complement.
1. Copula BE (am,is,are,war,were)
examples:
- I am a Malaysian. (I = a Malaysian)
- He is Ali. (He = Ali)
- They are here. (They = here)
- Ali was at home. (Ali = at home)
- They were happy. (They = happy)
- Ali will be there. (Ali = there)
2. Linking verb
examples:
- Ali seems/apper/looks disturbed. (Ali = disturbed)
- Ali is rich. (Ali = rich)
- Ali gets exited. (Ali = exited)
- Ali stays/remains cool. (Ali = cool)
- Ali grows/becomes angry. (Ali = angry)
- Ali went missing. (Ali = missing)
- Ali ran amuck. (Ali = amuck)
- Ali turned green. (Ali = green)
- The food smells/sounds/tastes good. (The food = good)
Forms of SUBJECT COMPLEMENTS
There are only three forms of subject complements which are Noun Phrase (NP), Adjective Phrase (AdjP), and Prepositional Phrase (PrepP).
examples:
- Ali is a boy......Ali = a boy...(Np)
- Ali is hardworking.....Ali = hardworking...(AdjP)
- Ali is in the mall.....Ali = in the mall...(PrepP)
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