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              Basic Sentence Pattern #6: Subject + V  _t + DO + OC (Adj) [Adjectival Object Complement]

Examples:

Sheila made Karen angry.

Poor brakes make auto accidents in or around intersections inevitable.

Once again, I can say that you have very little to learn. If you understand the adjectival subject complement (Pattern #4), you have only one small adjustment to make in your thinking. The adjectival object complement modifies the direct object instead of the subject. If you can find the direct object in the sentence, you can find the object complement (OC). The OC follows the DO.

In our first example, the direct object is that nominal constituent that receives the action of the verb. That nominal (an NP) happens to be Karen. What kind of Karen is this? Why, it is an "angry" Karen. In other words, "angry" modifies Karen. A word or phrase or clause that modifies a noun is adjectival. In this sentence, the adjective phrase, "angry" (just an adjective in this case) follows the DO; so, unless something quite strange is going on, it must be the OC.

The second example is not quite so obvious because, between the DO and the only word that could be the OC, inevitable, there is an odd-looking twp-headed prepositional phrase. Of course, you won’t let that PP stand in your way. You know that a PP is normally a modifier.  In this case it modifies "auto accidents." Thus, you can analyze the predicate in chunks as follows: "make (transitive verb) auto accidents in or around intersections (DO) inevitable [OC (Adj)]."

In groups identify all sentences in the exercise below that exhibit the features of Basic Sentence Patterns #1 through  #6. Online  Do this exercise on your own and post questions on the Main Discussion Thread.

Memorandum

September 23, 1999

To: All Students

From: Willa Mime, Dean of Students

Subj: Leaky Dorm Roofs

    Dorm roofs are leaking. Rooms are wet. Beds are wet. Wet rooms make students wet. Wet beds

make students wet. Personal belongings are wet. Some students call their belongings trash.

The ground is muddy. Muddy ground makes runners angry. The roofs are big. The roofs are flat.

The roofs are not muddy. The track team noticed the roofs. The track team called the roofs their

practice fields. Track runners wear spiked shoes. The spikes cut holes in the roofs. Water runs

through the holes. The water goes into rooms. The contents are damaged. The physical plant

director is enraged. He called the track team incorrigible. Your tuition is being raised.

    All roof runners should wear their spikes inside out.

Chapter 11 Homework Assignment:  In a newspaper, magazine, or book  find three examples of sentences with adjectival object complements.  Type them out clearly marking the adjectival OCs.

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