Object, Complement & Adverbial

This chapter is going to teach you how to identify an object, adverbial, and complement in a sentence. From the previous chapter, we have come to know about sentence structure. While dealing with sentence structure, we have understood that an object or a complement is a part of the predicate. Now, we know that predicate can consist of the verb only. At the same time, a predicate can consist of a verb plus object, complement, or adverbial. But the problem is that many students find it difficult to identify whether it is a complement, adverbial, or an object. This lecture is going to teach you how you can identify an object, adverbial, or complement correctly. The chapter is going to show you two processes through which you can identify objects, adverbial, or complements with 100% accuracy.  

FIRST PROCESS 

The first process is to understand the relationship between transitive, intransitive, and linking verbs with the object or adverb/adverbial or prepositional phrases. If we can understand the relationship, we will be able to identify objects and adverbial with 100% accuracy. The object receives the action of the verb. It means that an object has an action verb; an object is preceded by an action verb. But the problem is that not all action verbs have objects. Action verbs that have objects are called transitive verbs. The action verbs which do not have objects are called intransitive verbs. A transitive verb cannot generate clear thought unless it exerts its action on a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. This noun, pronoun, or noun phrase is an object. It means a transitive verb cannot function without a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase called an object.  But an intransitive verb or linking verb cannot have an object. Look at the examples below where we can see how the verbs exert their actions on objects and how the objects receive the actions from the verbs: 

• I hit him.             
• He kicks the ball.  
• I eat rice.  
• I love her. 

All the verbs in bold are transitive verbs or action verbs because the actions of these verbs have receivers which are a pronoun, a noun phrase, a noun, and a pronoun respectively. So, when, the action of a verb has a receiver, the verb is an action verb and the receiver is the object. In the first sentence, my hitting has a receiver and that is the pronoun "him". If we exclude “him” from the sentence, the sentence will remain incomplete. Similarly, the verb "kicks," "eat," and "love," have their receivers such as "the ball" (noun phrase), "rice" (noun), and "her" (pronoun) respectively. Therefore, they are the objects of the verbs. Without them, the above-mentioned sentences will end up in fragmented ones.  

 

But an intransitive verb, in general, is not followed by a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. So, you cannot imagine an object without a noun or pronoun, or noun phrase. It can only be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase or prepositional phrase to add to the thought which is being described. 

 

Let's see some examples: 

• He runs fast.  
• The sun rises in the East.  
• It rained heavily.  

The words in bold are adverbs or adverbial phrases. If you do not find any noun, pronoun, or noun phrase after the action verb, it means that the action verbs are intransitive ones. Intransitive verbs, in general, are followed by prepositions, adverbs, or another clause to provide more information. So, now, you can easily identify the transitive and intransitive verbs. At the same time, you can understand that only transitive verbs have objects; intransitive verbs might have adverbs or adverbial/prepositional phrases.  

You can also identify whether there is an object in the sentence by asking the verb two questions: “what?” and “whom”. If the verb responds to any one of these two questions, the verb is a transitive verb. Look at the examples below: 

• I write a letter. (write what?) 
• I love her. (love whom?) 
• The sun rises in the East. (rises where) 
• He went to Khulna. (went where?) 
• He drives slowly. (drives how?) 

In the above examples, “write” and “love” are transitive verbs because they respond to “what?” and “where?” respectively. But “rises”, “went” and “drives” are not transitive verbs because they do not respond to “what” and “where” questions. They have responded to “where?” and “how?” questions respectively. So, though they are action verbs, they are not transitive verbs. They are intransitive verbs.  

Now we can look at linking verbs. Linking verbs are not action verbs. They don't carry any action; they simply make a relationship between subject and complement, be it a predicative noun, pronoun, or adjective. So, when it is a linking verb, you do not need to ask the questions "what?" and "whom?" Linking verbs just give extra information about the subject. Look at the examples below: 

• My name is John. 
• He is happy. 
• It is she.  

So, a linking verb simply gives information about a subject by connecting the subject with a predicative adjective or predicative noun. They do not describe direct any action taken or controlled by the subject. This predicative noun or pronoun or adjective is a complement because it completes the meaning of the verb.  

SECOND PROCESS 

The first process is to identify the verb in the sentence and then ask the verb two questions "what?" and "whom?" If you find an answer in response to any one of the two questions, it means that there is an object in the sentence. Let's find out verbs in the following sentences and ask them "what?" and "whom?" 

• I eat rice. 
• I love her. 
• He writes a letter. 
• John helps the poor man. 
•  I kick the ball. 
• I hit the table.   

The words in bold are objects because if we go to ask the verb "what?" and "whom?", we will find answers from each verb. What do I eat? The answer is I eat rice. As we have got the answer, "rice" is the object. Whom do I love? I love her. So, the verb gives the answer to the question of whom. So, "her" is the object of the verb "love." Similarly, "a letter", "the poor man", "the ball" and "the table" are objects because their verbs give answers to the questions "what?" and "whom?" Now, look at the following examples where verbs cannot give answers to the questions "what?" and "whom?" Therefore, the word or group of words preceded by the verb is a complement. 

• He sleeps. 
• It rained. 
• He sleeps in the morning. (time) 
• It rained heavily. (degree) 
• He runs fast. (degree) 
• The sun rises in the East. (place)   
• He went to the university. (place) 

Here, the words in bold are not objects because their verbs cannot respond to the questions "what?" and "whom?" When does he sleep? The answer is "in the morning." How did it rain? It rained heavily. How does he run? The answer is he runs fast. Where does the Sun rise? The sun rises in the East. Where did he go? He went to the university. So, the words in bold are not objects because the verbs have given answers to the questions “how?”, “when?” and “where?” not "what?" and "whom?" They are adverbials. Adverbials are used to describe the place, time, reason, purpose, result, condition, direction, degree, and method. Adverbials are adverbs, infinitives, phrases, and clauses. They are used to give further information or explanation. They can sit immediately after the transitive verbs. Or, they can sit after object or complement. Their main task is to provide more information. But complement is used to complete a sentence. 

 

Now, you can understand the difference between object and complement. Object and complement are inseparable from the sentences. If you separate the object or complement from the sentence, your sentence will be incomplete. But you can separate adverbials (adverb, adverbial/prepositional phrases) which are definitely preceded by any intransitive verb. But linking verbs are always followed by complement. They can be noun predicates; they can be adjective predicates. Surely, you have understood the difference between complement and object. At the same time, you have understood the presence of adverbials--adverb, adverbial/prepositional phrases. 

EXERCISE 

1. Discuss elaborately what you have understood about the object. 
2. Explain the difference between object and adverbial. 
3. What is a complement? 
4. Discuss elaborately what you have understood about transitive, intransitive, and linking verbs. 

Watch the video:

Write an email to know the admission procedure at Oxford University

Parts of Speech   Noun    Pronoun   Adjective   Verb   Adverb    Preposition   Conjunction   Interjection

 Other Related Reading Materials

Back to Homepage