Subject Complements

In a sentence, what is the main job of a subject complement?

• It renames or describes the subject.

• It shows the action the subject is doing.

• It receives the action of the verb.

• It modifies the verb.

Answer explanation

A subject complement follows a linking verb and either renames the subject (predicate nominative) or describes it (predicate adjective). The other options describe action verbs, direct objects, or adverbs.

Which sentence has a predicate nominative (a noun that renames the subject)?

• My dog seems happy today.

• The winner of the race is you.

• I read a good book.

• The music sounds loud.

Answer explanation

The pronoun 'you' is a predicate nominative because it follows the linking verb 'is' and renames the subject 'winner.' The other sentences contain a predicate adjective ('happy,' 'loud') or a direct object ('book').

True or False: A subject complement is a word that follows an action verb.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

A subject complement always follows a linking verb (like 'is', 'seems', 'becomes'), not an action verb. Action verbs are often followed by direct objects.

In the sentence 'The pizza smells delicious,' which word is the predicate adjective?

• pizza

• smells

• delicious

• The

Answer explanation

'Delicious' is a predicate adjective because it follows the linking verb 'smells' and describes the subject, 'pizza.' 'Pizza' is the subject and 'smells' is the linking verb.

Fill in the blank: After the long hike, the explorers grew very _____.

• tired

• tiredness

• tiredly

• tiring

Answer explanation

The linking verb 'grew' (meaning 'became') needs a predicate adjective to describe the subject 'explorers.' 'Tired' is an adjective, while 'tiredly' is an adverb and 'tiredness' is a noun.

Which sentence contains a subject complement instead of a direct object?

• My brother built a cool Lego castle.

• The new student seems really friendly.

• I tasted the spicy chili.

• She kicked the soccer ball.

Answer explanation

This sentence uses the linking verb 'seems' to connect the subject 'student' with the predicate adjective 'friendly.' The other sentences use action verbs ('built,' 'tasted,' 'kicked') followed by direct objects.

True or False: To describe the subject after a linking verb like 'feel' or 'look', you should almost always use an adjective, not an adverb.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Linking verbs connect the subject to a descriptor, so a predicate adjective is needed (e.g., 'I feel bad,' not 'I feel badly'). Adverbs describe verbs, not subjects.

Fill in the blank: My older sister will become _____ next year.

• a high school student

• to the high school

• studiously

• studying

Answer explanation

The linking verb 'will become' needs a predicate nominative to rename the subject 'sister.' The noun phrase 'a high school student' correctly renames her.

Identify the subject complement in this sentence: 'Throughout the movie, the main character remained a mystery.'

• movie

• main character

• remained

• a mystery

Answer explanation

'A mystery' is the predicate nominative that follows the linking verb 'remained' and renames the subject, 'character.' It tells us what the character was.

Fill in the blank with the word that correctly describes the subject: The flowers in the garden smell _____.

• sweet

• sweetly

• sweetness

• sweeter

Answer explanation

The sensory verb 'smell' is used as a linking verb here, so it requires a predicate adjective to describe the subject 'flowers.' 'Sweet' is the correct adjective, while 'sweetly' is an adverb.