subject complement is the adjective, noun, or pronoun that follows a linking verb. The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. Then you have a list of verbs that can be linking oraction: appear, feel, grow, look, prove, remain,smell, sound, taste, and turn. If you can substitute any of the verbs on this second list with an equal sign [=] and the sentence still makes sense, the verb is almost always linking.
Read these examples:
Brandon is a gifted athlete.
Brandon = subject; is = linking verb; athlete = noun as subject complement.
It was he who caught the winning touchdown Friday night.
It = subject; was = linking verb; he = pronoun as subject complement.
Brandon becomes embarrassed when people compliment his skill.
Brandon = subject; becomes = linking verb;embarrassed = adjective as subject complement.
Brandon's face will turn red.
Face = subject; will turn = linking verb; red = adjective as subject complement. [Will turn is linking because if you substitute this verb with an equal sign, the sentence still makes sense.] Don't mistake a subject complement for a direct object.
Only linking verbs can have subject complements. If the verb is action, then the word that answers the question what? or who? after the subject + verb is adirect object.
When Michelle woke up this morning, she felt sick.
She = subject; felt = linking verb; sick = subject complement. [Felt is linking because if you substitute this verb with an equal sign, the sentence still makes sense.]
Michelle felt her forehead but did not detect a temperature.
Michelle = subject; felt = action verb. She feltwhat? Forehead = direct object. [Felt is action because if you substitute this felt with an equal sign, the sentence does not make sense.
