{"slug":"object-complement","title":"Object complement","date":"2026-02-28T00:26:00.000Z","excerpt":"","tags":["language"],"order":26,"published":true,"content":"

To recap: An Object Complement follows a Direct Object and gives us more information about that object. It answers: \"What did the object become?\" or \"What do we think of the object?\"

1. The Adjective (and Adjective Phrase)

Function: Describing the state or quality of the Object.

We touched on this as the \"Predicative Object.\" You can use a single adjective or a longer Adjective Phrase (an adjective + modifiers like \"very,\" \"too,\" \"extremely\").

Structure: Verb + Object + [Adjective Phrase]
The Logic: The action causes the object to have this quality, or the subject perceives this quality in the object.

Examples:

Single Adjective: \"Keep your room clean.\"
Adjective Phrase: \"They made the test impossibly difficult.\"
Adjective Phrase: \"I found his apology too little, too late.\"

Common Verbs: make, paint, get, keep, find, consider, prove.

2. The Noun Phrase

Function: Renaming or Labeling the Object.

This is very common when talking about jobs, titles, or names. Instead of describing a quality (like \"happy\"), you are giving the object a new identity.

Structure: Verb + Object + [Noun Phrase]
The Logic: Object = Noun Phrase. You can put an \"equals sign\" between them.

Examples:

Naming: \"They named the baby John.\" (Baby = John)
Titles: \"The board appointed her Vice President.\" (Her = Vice President)
Insults/Compliments: \"He called me an idiot.\" (Me = Idiot)
Transformation: \"The movie made him a star.\" (Him = A star)

Common Verbs: appoint, call, choose, elect, make, name, vote, crown.

3. The Prepositional Phrase

Function: Describing the state, location, or condition of the Object.

Sometimes, you need a preposition (in, on, at, without) to describe the condition the object is left in.

Structure: Verb + Object + [Prepositional Phrase]
The Logic: The phrase acts exactly like an adjective. \"In tears\" = \"Sad.\"

Examples:

State of mind: \"We found him in a bad mood.\"
Condition: \"The fire left the house in ruins.\"
Position: \"I want you off my property.\"
Value: \"They consider the painting of little value.\"

4. The \"As\" Phrase (The Bridge)

Some verbs feel \"naked\" without a connector. We often use the preposition \"as\" to connect the object to its complement. This is a variation of the Noun Phrase complement.

Direct (No \"As\"): \"I consider him a genius.\"
With \"As\": \"I regard him as a genius.\"

Verbs that usually take \"As\":

Regard ... as
Describe ... as
Treat ... as
Accept ... as

A Quick Test: \"To Be\"

If you are unsure if a phrase is an Object Complement, try inserting \"to be\" before it. If the sentence retains its meaning, it is likely a complement.

Sentence: \"I consider him honest.\"
Test: \"I consider him to be honest.\" (Works!)
Sentence: \"They elected her President.\"
Test: \"They elected her to be President.\" (Works!)