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Subject, object and complement

Many verbs need an object to make sense, eg ‘Ajay plays the piano’. Like the subject, the object is usually a noun or a noun phrase, eg ‘the big, black grand piano’. Verbs that take objects describe some kind of action rather than a state of being.

For example:

Ajay plays the big, black grand piano.

Teagan watches television.

Some verbs do not need an object to make sense. These either:

  • Work alone, as in, ‘Connor screamed.’
  • Describes a ‘state’ as in, ‘Maire is tall.’ or ‘Mandip felt ill.’

If no action is transferring from the subject to the object, the word is called a complement.