The Complement & Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

The Complement In English Grammar

The Complement is a word or group of words that is essential to complete the meaning of a sentence, verb, adjective, or noun. It provides necessary information about the subject or object, often following a verb. Without a complement, the sentence would be incomplete or unclear. 


🔹 1. Subject Complement

Completes the subject and follows a linking verb

She is a teacher.

→ "a teacher" is a noun complement describing the subject "She".

The soup tastes delicious.

→ "delicious" is an adjective complement describing "soup".

It seems that he is right.

→ "that he is right" is a clause acting as a complement.


🔹 2. Object Complement

Completes or describes the object

They elected him president.

→ "president" is a noun that complements the object "him".

She painted the room blue.

→ "blue" is an adjective describing the object "the room".


🔹 3. Verb Complement

Some verbs require a complement to complete their meaning

He wants to leave.

→ "to leave" is an infinitive phrase that complements the verb "wants".

She enjoys singing.

→ "singing" is a gerund acting as the complement of "enjoys".


What is transitive verb ?

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning. The action of the verb is done to someone or something.


Key Point:

If you can answer "what?" or "whom?" after the verb, it's transitive.

Example:

She reads a book.

Reads is the transitive verb.

A book is the direct object receiving the action.

He kicked the ball. 

(Kicked what? The ball.

They watched the movie. 

(Watched what? The movie.)


I wrote a letter.

→ "Wrote" is the transitive verb; "a letter" is the direct object.

She loves music.

→ "Loves" is the transitive verb; "music" is the direct object.

The teacher explained the lesson.

→ "Explained" is the transitive verb; "the lesson" is the direct object.

He found his keys.

→ "Found" is the transitive verb; "his keys" is the direct object.

They played the game.

→ "Played" is the transitive verb; "the game" is the direct object.


What is Intransitive Verb?

Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not take a direct object. This means the action does not pass on to someone or something else—the verb stands alone and makes sense without needing to act on an object.


🔹 Examples:

He sleeps.

→ "Sleeps" is intransitive because there's no object receiving the action.

They arrived late.

→ "Arrived" doesn’t need an object. You can't “arrive something.”

The baby cried loudly.

→ "Cried" stands alone; there's no direct object after it.


More examples of intransitive verbs 👇


She sleeps peacefully.


They arrived late.


The baby cried all night.


He runs every morning.


We talked for hours.


The sun sets at 7 PM.


It rained heavily yesterday.


The audience clapped loudly.


Birds fly in the sky.


 He died in 1990.


> 💡 Note:  Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on how they’re used.


🔹 Comparison with Transitive Verbs:


Transitive :- 

She reads a book. ✅ Yes (book)

Intransitive :- 

She reads before bed. ❌ No


🔹 Transitive:-

He broke the glass.

(Direct object = “the glass”)


🔹 Intransitive:-

The glass broke suddenly.

(No direct object — the glass is the subject, and it broke by itself)






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