In a sentence, an adjective can also act as a subject or noun complement—a word that follows a linking verb and describes the subject. Look at how adjectives in this sentence describe the subject or noun.
His hand was heavy on my shoulder.
In the sentence, heavy is a subject complement that modifies the subject hand. What are the subjects being described in the following sentences?
The air here is clean, free of dust and smoke. Father is mild-tempered and gentle.
These sentences also follow the S-LV-C (Subject-Linking Verb-Complement) sentence pattern.
| S | LV | C |
|---|---|---|
| Father | is | mild-tempered and gentle. |
Now, differentiate the two sentences below and tell why you think one is a noun complement and the other an adjective complement. In both sentences, the subject town is the same.
| Noun Complement | Adjective Complement |
|---|---|
| The town of Nagrebcan is a tourist spot. | The town of Panglao is far from the city. |
| A noun complement is a noun or pronoun that appears with a linking verb and renames, identifies, or explains the subject of the sentence. | An adjective complement is an adjective that appears with a linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence. |
| Maria was | a student. |
|---|---|
| ↑ Subject Complement (predicate noun) |
| Leo is | caring and considerate. |
|---|---|
| ↑ Subject Complement (predicate adjective) |
| A strict man is | he. |
|---|---|
| ↑ Subject Complement (predicate pronoun) |
