Lesson Plan: How to Teach ESL Students the Difference between Subject Complements and Direct Objects

The following lesson plan can be used by ESL teachers to teach intermediate ESL students the difference between subject complements and direct objects in English grammar.

First define the term "subject complement." Subject complements are words, phrases, and clauses that follow copular verbs and describe the subject. Subject complement is a grammatical function. For example, the following italicized words, phrases, and clauses function as subject complements:

• My grandfather is a farmer.
• The cookies smell delicious.
• My least favorite assignment was writing the grant.
• The worst part of the workday is during the afternoon.
• The problem remains that you refuse to study grammar.

Next define the term "copular verb." Also called linking verbs and state-of-being verbs, copular verbs are equating verbs that link the subject complement in the predicate to the subject. The most common copular verb in English is be. Other English copular verbs include:

• appear
• become
• feel
• get
• grow
• look
• prove
• remain
• resemble
• seem
• smell
• sound
• stay
• taste
• turn

Then discuss the types of words, phrases, and clauses that can function as subject complements. Five grammatical forms can function as the subject complement:

1. Noun phrases
2. Adjective phrases
3. Prepositional phrases
4. Verb phrases
5. Noun clauses

Nouns and adjectives most frequently function as subject complements. Traditional grammars sometimes refer to nouns functioning as subject complements as predicate nominatives and to adjectives functioning as subject complements as predicate adjectives. Students should learn both alternative terms.

Use the following exercise to practice identifying subject complements. The students should mark the subject complement in each sentence and then identify the grammatical form.

Sentences

• The soup tastes too spicy.
• My professor remained calm and unemotional.
• Your grandmother's favorite pastime was reading books.
• My brother has become a car mechanic.
• The assignment seems easy.
• The location for the party can be wherever you want.
• The coldest time of year is in the winter.
• I will be a librarian.
• The basement smells unusually musty.
• Her singing sounds like a dying rooster.

Answers

• The soup tastes too spicy. Adjective Phrase
• My professor remained calm and unemotional. Adjective Phrase
• Your grandmother's favorite pastime was reading books. Verb Phrase
• My brother has become a car mechanic. Noun Phrase
• The assignment seems easy. Adjective Phrase
• The location for the party can be wherever you want. Noun Clause
• The coldest time of year is in the winter. Prepositional Phrase
• I will be a librarian. Noun Phrase
• The basement smells unusually musty. Adjective Phrase
• Her singing sounds like a dying rooster. Prepositional Phrase

Now define the term "direct object." Direct objects are words, phrases, and clauses that follow transitive verbs and answer the question "who or what" receives the action of the verb. Direct object is also a grammatical function. For example, the following italicized words, phrases, and clauses function as direct objects:

• The little girl recognized the author of her favorite book.
• The critic has tasted the soup.
• I will clean under the bed.
• My mother-in-law has always preferred to eat fruits and vegetables.
• Our dog dislikes when we put him in his pen.

Then define the term "transitive verb." Transitive verbs are verbs that have and sometimes require direct objects and may also take indirect objects. Transitive verbs are the most common verb form in English. For example, the following italicized verbs and verb phrases are transitive verbs:

• The bird ate the worm.
• Schoolchildren are singing songs in the park.
• My cat has broken my antique vase.
• Will you open the door for me?
• Those crooks might pay off the security guard.

Next discuss the types of words, phrases, and clauses that can function as direct objects. Four grammatical forms can function as the direct object:

1. Noun phrases
2. Prepositional phrases
3. Verb phrases
4. Noun clauses

Nouns most frequently function as direct objects.