Complements vs. direct objects

True or False: A subject complement is a word that follows a linking verb and renames or describes the subject.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

This is the definition of a subject complement. It completes the meaning of the subject after a linking verb like 'is', 'seems', or 'becomes'.

Which word is the direct object in the sentence: "My dad built a sturdy treehouse for us."

• dad

• treehouse

• sturdy

• us

Answer explanation

The action verb is "built." Ask: Dad built what? He built a "treehouse." Therefore, "treehouse" is the direct object. "Us" is the object of the preposition "for."

Which sentence follows the Subject-Linking Verb-Subject Complement (S-LV-SC) pattern?

• The team won the championship.

• My best friend seems happy today.

• We watched a movie last night.

• The dog chased the squirrel.

Answer explanation

This sentence has a subject ("friend"), a linking verb ("seems"), and a subject complement ("happy") that describes the subject. The other sentences all contain action verbs and direct objects.

Fill in the blank to make "the ball" a direct object: The player quickly __________ the ball.

• was

• became

• kicked

• seemed

Answer explanation

"Kicked" is an action verb that can take a direct object. The player kicked what? The ball. The other options are linking verbs, which are followed by subject complements, not direct objects.

Fill in the blank with a predicate adjective: After the long hike, the campers were __________.

• tents

• sleep

• exhausted

• quickly

Answer explanation

"Exhausted" is a predicate adjective. It is an adjective that follows the linking verb "were" and describes the subject, "campers."

Read the two sentences: 1. I tasted the spicy chili. 2. The chili tasted spicy. How is the verb "tasted" used differently?

• It is an action verb in sentence 1 and a linking verb in sentence 2.

• It is a linking verb in sentence 1 and an action verb in sentence 2.

• It is an action verb in both sentences.

• It is a linking verb in both sentences.

Answer explanation

In sentence 1, "tasted" is an action, making "chili" a direct object. In sentence 2, "tasted" links the subject "chili" to its description "spicy," making it a linking verb.

True or False: The sentence "My favorite snacks are popcorn and pretzels" contains a compound direct object.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The sentence contains a compound subject complement ("popcorn and pretzels"). It follows the linking verb "are" and renames the subject "snacks"; it does not receive an action.

Fill in the blank with the grammatically correct pronoun: The winner of the science fair was __________.

• her

• she

• them

• us

Answer explanation

After a linking verb like "was," the pronoun that renames the subject should be in the subject case. "The winner... was she" is the grammatically correct form, as "she" is a subject pronoun.

In the sentence "The chef made, with great care, a beautiful wedding cake," what is the direct object?

• chef

• care

• beautiful

• cake

Answer explanation

The action verb is "made." The chef made what? A wedding cake. The phrase "with great care" is a prepositional phrase that comes between the verb and the direct object, "cake."

Which sentence correctly rewrites "The team chose a new captain" (S-TV-DO pattern) to have a subject complement instead of a direct object?

• The new captain became a great leader.

• A new captain was chosen by the team.

• The team liked the new captain.

• The new captain, chosen by the team, smiled.

Answer explanation

This sentence changes the pattern to S-LV-SC. "Captain" is the subject, "became" is a linking verb, and "leader" is a predicate nominative that renames the captain.