Predicate Complements

Predicate Complements Predicate Complements Predicate Complements By Maeve Maddox The term complement comes from the verb to complete. The predicate nominative and predicate adjective complete the meaning of a state-of-being or linking verb. The most common linking verb is to be, with its forms am, is, are, was, were, being, been. Other verbs, like seem and appear, also function in this way. The predicate nominative (abbreviated PN) completes the verb and renames the subject of the verb. The predicate adjective (abbreviated PA) completes the verb and describes the subject. The predicate complement is also called the subject complement because it restates or describes the subject. Predicate Nominative The predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that completes the meaning of a linking verb. Sometimes students confuse direct objects and predicate complements. One way to tell them apart is to reverse the sentence. If the sentence still makes sense after being reversed, the word that answers â€Å"What?† after the verb is a complement. Compare: Baxter is an excellent typist. An excellent typist is Baxter. The reversed sentence still makes sense; â€Å"an excellent typist† is a complement. Baxter typed the report. The report typed Baxter. The reversed sentence is nonsense; â€Å"the report† is a direct object. When the predicate nominative is a pronoun, traditional grammar says it should be in the nominative (subject) case. That’s logical because the complement restates the subject. English idiom and logic, however, are not always on the best of terms. Consider: Is Dr. Singh the man at the dais? Yes, that’s he. Because he is a predicate nominative in this sentence, the subject form he is correct. However, most native speakers would probably say â€Å"Yes, that’s him.† Predicate Adjective The predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes its subject: You seem sad. (predicate adjective) In certain light, the fish appears transparent. (predicate adjective) Other verbs commonly used to express a state of being are: feel make taste look smell grow remain stay turn sound become prove Note: some of these verbs can also be used as action verbs. If the verb conveys an action, the word that follows is a direct object (DO). If the word that follows the verb describes the subject, it’s a predicate adjective (PA): I feel sad. (PA) I feel the wall. (DO) He made me mad. (PA) I made cookies. (DO) That smells bad. (PA) Wake up and smell the roses. (DO) Every day you grow older. (PA) The farmer grows strawberries. (DO) The angry dictator turned blue. (PA) The ox turned the wheel. (DO) That music sounds discordant. (PA) The bugler sounded the alarm. (DO) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar 101 category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryWriting the Century55 "House" Idioms

Two Truths and a Lie 35 Good Lies for Tricking Others

Two Truths and a Lie 35 Good Lies for Tricking Others SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Throwing a party or looking for an icebreaker to use at a work event? Whatever the case, Two Truths and a Lie is a unique game that's useful for getting to know other people- and for seeing how good you are at lying! Read on to learn what the game entails and what makes for a good lie. We also give you tons of Two Truths and a Lie ideas to help you have a wildly fun time! What Is Two Truths and a Lie? Two Truths and a Lie is a fun group-based game you can play at parties or use as ice breakers. No special equipment or preparation is needed, though you might want to use pencil and paper to keep track of scores (if playing for points). To play, everyone sits or stands in a circle. One by one, each person in the circle says three statements about him/herself. Two of these statements must be facts, or "truths," and one must be a lie. The other members then try to guess which statement is the lie. What Makes for a Good Lie? A Good Truth? A good lie is one that's ultimately believable: it'll sound like something you might've done or might want to do (but haven't actually done). A lie that's too farfetched will clearly sound fake, so try to think of lies that are similar to truths to make them as plausible-sounding as possible. For example, don't say, "I can speak 22 languages." This statement is clearly a lie (unless you're a famous polyglot!). Rather, say, "I can speak three languages fluently." This statement is just plausible enough to make people doubt whether you're telling the truth or not. When it comes to telling truths, you'll want to tell the truth in such a way that others think you're lying even though you're not. Therefore, a good truth will sound like something you usually wouldn't do or wouldn't want to do (but have actually done). For example, if you're normally a shy person but have been the first to get out on a dance floor, this would be a good truth to tell since other people won't expect you to have done it. 35 Two Truths and a Lie Ideas Below are tons of Two Truths and a Lie examples you can use for lies (or truths if applicable!). Just remember this: when choosing lies, always opt for those that will be most convincing for you! Likes/Dislikes My favorite animals are peacocks. I hate spicy food. I can't stand it when people pay with exact change. I am a vegetarian. My favorite place in the world is New York City. Skills I can play the piano. I'm really good at cooking Italian food. I can juggle. I never learned how to ride a bicycle. I'm a great whistler. Experiences I went to Europe as a high school student. I've met Tom Cruise. I've never seen any of the Star Wars movies. I've eaten poisonous puffer fish. I've never gotten a speeding ticket. Wishes/Dreams When I was younger, my dream was to be a firefighter. I've always wanted to try paragliding. One of the places I want to visit most is Thailand. I hope to eventually run a marathon. If I could, I would pay to visit the moon right now. Family I am a great-great grandniece/grandnephew of Abraham Lincoln. I am the youngest of five siblings. My mother has worked for the same company for 30 years. I own a pet hamster named Murray. I have 18 first cousins. Random/Weird I am colorblind. I am legally deaf in one ear. I was born with a tail. I still own a huge collection of Beanie Babies. I've never broken a bone. I am deathly afraid of clowns. I brush my teeth four times a day. I never use public restrooms. I'm allergic to strawberries. I am incredibly superstitious. Feel free to tweak these Two Truths and a Lie ideas so that they work better for you. Once you've got some ideas ready, get out and have fun!