Difference between complement and object of a verb.

[Shubhi]

What is difference between complement and object of a verb? Eg.1)The boy stood on the burning deck.In this the burning deck is comlement or object.

 

[PaulMatthews]

What is difference between complement and object of a verb? Eg.1)The boy stood on the burning deck.In this the burning deck is comlement or object.

In your example "the burning deck" is complement to the preposition "on" (not to the verb "stood"). Prepositions take complements of several different kinds, one of them being objects in the form of nouns or noun phrases. So in this case we have an object NP functioning as a complement to the preposition "on".

 

[TheParser]

NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Shubhi:

I only wanted to add a few thoughts to Mr. Matthews's excellent explanation.

My books and teachers would prefer to call "the burning deck" the object of the preposition "on."

They would prefer to reserve the word "complement" for something like this:

"Mona is nice."

As you can see, "nice" completes the meaning of "Mona is." (You will also notice that "nice" refers back to "Mona.")

(Before you take a test, you may wish to ask your teacher which word s/he prefers.)

 

[Shubhi]

Ok,now I am clear about it. But, I am still confuse in this:
1) She called me a fool.(Why fool is complement here.)
2)He did not tell the truth.(Truth is complement or object)

 

[PaulMatthews]

Ok,now I am clear about it. But, I am still confuse in this:
1) She called me a fool.(Why fool is complement here.)
2)He did not tell the truth.(Truth is complement or object)

In "She called me a fool", "me" is the direct object. The property of being 'a fool' is ascribed to the object "me" and hence is a predicative object complement. The phrase "a fool" is obligatory here (omitting it would change the meaning of the sentence) and hence is a complement. Obligatory elements are always complements since they are needed to complete the verb phrase.

In "He did not tell the truth", "tell" is a transitive verb which has "the truth" as its object. The expression "the truth" is being acted on directly by the action of the verb "tell". (Note by the way that objects are a sub-type of complement)

 

[emsr2d2]

What is the difference between the complement and the object of a verb? Eg.1) The boy stood on the burning deck.

In this​, is the burning deck [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] a complement or an object?

[STRIKE]Ok[/STRIKE] OK/okay, (space after a comma) now I am clear about it. But (no comma here) I am still confused [STRIKE]in[/STRIKE] about this:
1) She called me a fool. (Space after a full stop.) (Why is "fool" [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] a complement here?)
2) He did not tell the truth. (Space after a full stop.) (Is "truth" [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] a complement or an object?)

Note my changes above. It's important to follow these rules of written English at all times:

- Start every sentence with a capital letter.
- Always capitalise the word "I".
- End every sentence with a single, appropriate punctuation mark.
- Put a space after a full stop, comma, question mark or exclamation mark.
- Don't put a space before a full stop, comma, question mark or exclamation mark.

You can write either "OK" or "okay" (that would be "Okay" at the start of a sentence) but not "Ok".

Note the correct word order for a question.

 

[MikeNewYork]

The word "complement" has a broader meaning than "object" does. It carries the meaning of completing a word or phrase. We have a variety of objects: direct and indirect verbal objects and prepositional objects. Transitive verbs take direct objects, but linking verbs take complements: predicate nominatives (nouns) and predicate adjectives. They reflect back on the subjects.

 

[PaulMatthews]

An object is a sub-type of complement, in fact it's a core complement, though we usually just say 'object' to distinguish it from a predicative or other complement. It's clear that objects are complements since they are most often obligatory, and obligatory items are always complements since they are needed to complete the verb phrase.

 

[Shubhi]

I am little bit confused in using the article "The" like you have corrected me. Means can you tell me some conditions where it is used.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I am little bit confused in using the article "The" like you have corrected me. Means can you tell me some conditions where it is used.

There is one difference, so we say "the." If there were many differences, and we were only naming one, we would say "a."