A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and either describes or identifies the subject of the sentence. Unlike a direct object (which receives the action of a verb), a subject complement loops back to the subject: it tells us something about who or what the subject is or is like. Subject complements come in two main types. A predicate adjective is an adjective that describes the subject: The soup smells delicious. A predicate nominative (also called a predicate noun) is a noun or pronoun that renames the subject: She became the manager. The verbs that introduce subject complements are called linking verbs — they link the subject to its description rather than expressing action. The most common linking verb is be, but many others exist: seem, appear, become, remain, feel, look, sound, smell, taste, grow, turn, prove, stay. Mastering subject complements, as outlined in the Cambridge Grammar reference, helps learners choose correctly between adjectives and adverbs after verbs like feel, look, smell, and taste.
Formation / Rules
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Predicate adjective | Subject + linking verb + adjective | The sky looks dark. |
| Predicate nominative | Subject + linking verb + noun/pronoun | She is a doctor. |
| Predicate adjective phrase | Subject + linking verb + adj phrase | He seems quite nervous today. |
| Predicate noun phrase | Subject + linking verb + noun phrase | He became the best student. |
| Noun clause as complement | Subject + linking verb + that/wh-clause | The problem is that no one told us. |
Examples
- The food smells delicious. (predicate adjective; delicious describes the food)
- She is a talented musician. (predicate nominative; renames she)
- The lake appeared calm. (predicate adjective; calm describes the lake)
- He became the CEO. (predicate nominative; renames he)
- The milk tastes sour. (predicate adjective)
- She remained confident throughout. (predicate adjective)
- That sound seems familiar. (predicate adjective)
- The answer is forty-two. (predicate nominative)
- The situation grew complicated. (predicate adjective)
- She turned pale. (predicate adjective; pale describes she)
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| She looks beautifully. | She looks beautiful. | After linking verbs, use adjective (not adverb). |
| The soup smells wonderfully. | The soup smells wonderful. | ‘Smells’ is linking here; use predicate adjective. |
| I feel badly about it. | I feel bad about it. | ‘Feel’ as linking verb needs adjective: bad, not badly. |
| It is me who called. | It is I who called. (formal) | Formally, subject pronoun follows linking ‘be’. |
| He remained bravely. | He remained brave. | ‘Remained’ is linking; use adjective brave, not adverb bravely. |
Practise
Grammar Quiz
Identify the subject complement type and choose the correct form.
Cloze Dropdown
Choose between adjective and adverb after linking verbs.
Complete the Sentence
Add the correct subject complement to complete each sentence.
Practice What You’ve Learned
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a subject complement?
A subject complement is a word or phrase that follows a linking verb and describes or identifies the subject. It comes in two forms: a predicate adjective (She looks tired. The soup smells delicious.) or a predicate nominative (He is a doctor. She became the manager.).
What are linking verbs?
Linking verbs connect the subject to its complement without expressing action. The most common is ‘be’ (am, is, are, was, were, been, being). Other linking verbs include: seem, appear, become, remain, stay, feel, look, sound, smell, taste, grow, turn, prove, keep.
What is the difference between a predicate adjective and a predicate nominative?
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the subject: The sky is blue. A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject: He is a teacher. The winner was she.
Should I use ‘I’ or ‘me’ after a linking verb?
Formally, the pronoun after a linking verb should be the subject form: It is I. The winner is she. However, in everyday speech ‘It’s me’, ‘It’s him/her’ are universally accepted. In formal and academic writing, use the subject pronoun form.
How do I know if a verb is a linking verb or an action verb?
Substitute ‘is/was’ for the verb. If the sentence still makes sense, it is likely a linking verb. She looks tired. (She is tired — makes sense — linking.) She looks at the window. (She is at the window — meaning changes — action verb.)
Can a subject complement be a phrase or clause?
Yes. Subject complements can be adjective phrases (She seems quite nervous), noun phrases (He became the most successful student), prepositional phrases used as adjectives (The room was in a mess), or noun clauses (The problem is that no one told us).
What is the subject complement in ‘She turned pale’?
In ‘She turned pale’, ‘turned’ is a linking verb (meaning ‘became’) and ‘pale’ is a predicate adjective functioning as the subject complement describing the subject ‘she’. Compare: ‘She turned the key’ where ‘turned’ is an action verb.
What is the difference between a subject complement and a direct object?
A subject complement follows a linking verb and describes or renames the subject: She is happy (happy describes she). A direct object follows an action verb and receives the action: She kicked the ball. The test: can you replace the verb with ‘is/was’? If yes, it is a complement.
Can nouns of different number from the subject be a predicate nominative?
Yes. The predicate nominative renames or identifies the subject but does not have to agree in number the same way subject-verb agreement works: The most interesting part was the lectures. Here ‘lectures’ is the predicate nominative even though ‘part’ is singular.
Are subject complement errors common in English exams?
Yes. Using an adverb instead of an adjective after a linking verb (She looks beautifully instead of She looks beautiful) is very common. Confusing subject and object pronouns after linking verbs (It’s me vs It is I) also affects accuracy scores in formal writing tasks.