SVO vs. SVC: Key Differences in English Sentence Patterns

Contents

In this article, we’ll look at the following points:

Meaning of O (object) and C (complement).
How SVO and SVC construction differ and a way to recognize the difference.

In English grammar, subject, verb, object, and complement represent the role of each word in a sentence. For example, in many cases, the subject is the agent (performer) of the action described as the verb. Since subject and verb are clear by definition, you won’t be confused with these two concepts. However, sometimes, the difference between the object and complement seems vague.

In this article, we will explore the key differences between the object and complement,

Quick Summary

Object and Complement are sometimes tricky to distinguish unless you understand the grammar. However, once you acknowledge the rule, it’s very easy to separately understand these two concepts.

Feature	Object	Complement
Role	Receives the action of the verb	Identifies or describes the subject or object
Answers which question?	What?/Whom? after the verb	What is it?/What is it like?
Part of speech	Noun or noun phrase	Noun or adjective
Typical verbs	Action verbs	Linking verbs (be, become, seem, feel, look, etc.)
Common patterns	SVO, SVOO	SVC, SVOC
Example	She reads books.	She is a doctor. / She is happy.
Key check	Subject ≠ Object	Subject = Complement

Five Sentence Construction

In English, most sentences can be grouped into one of the following five basic patterns.

Subject-Verb (SV)
Subject-Verb-Complement (SVC)
Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
Subject-Verb-Object-Object (SVOO)
Subject-Verb-Object-Complement (SVOC)

Unless a sentence uses a special grammatical structure, almost every English sentence fits into one of these five patterns.

Simple Definition of Subject, Verb, Object, and Complement

Subject

The subject is the person, thing, or idea that performs the action or is being described.
It answers the question “Who or what is the sentence about?”

The students study every day.

Verb

The verb expresses the action, state, or condition of the subject.
It tells what the subject does, is, or feels.

The students study every day.

Object

The object receives the action of the verb. It answers “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb. There are two types of objects: direct object and indirect object.

Direct object: receives the action directly.

She reads books.

Indirect object: receives the benefit of the action.

She gives me a book.

In this sentence, “me” is the indirect object, and “a book” is the direct object. You can think of it this way: “me” is the person who receives the action of ”giving a book.”

Complement

A complement provides information that completes the meaning of the subject or object. It usually follows linking verbs like be, become, seem, feel, look, etc. Depending on the use of a complement, there are two types.

Subject complement: describes or identifies the subject.

She is a doctor.

Object complement: describes or renames the object.

They elected him president.

Key Difference between Object and Complement

The key difference between an object and a complement lies in what each one describes. An object receives the action of the verb, while a complement identifies or describes the state or identity of the subject, or sometimes the object, after the verb.

From a grammatical standpoint, an object must be a noun or noun phrase, because it serves as the receiver of the action. However, a complement can be either a noun or an adjective.

In general, when the subject and the expression that follows a linking verb (such as is, become, seem) refer to the same thing, the second part is a subject complement, not an object. Likewise, when the latter part describes the condition or state of the subject, it functions as a complement rather than an object.

Here are some simple example sentences that use complements.

My favorite subject is math.

In this sentence, “my favorite subject“ and “math“ refer to the same thing. Because the expression after the linking verb is identifies the subject, math functions as a subject complement, not an object.

My friend was sad.

Here, the adjective “sad“ describes the condition of the subject “my friend.“ Since it expresses the subject’s state of being, sad is also a subject complement.

Summary of Differences

Feature	Object	Complement
Role	Receives the action of the verb	Identifies or describes the subject or object
Answers which question?	What?/Whom? after the verb	What is it?/What is it like?
Part of speech	Noun or noun phrase	Noun or adjective
Typical verbs	Action verbs	Linking verbs (be, become, seem, feel, look, etc.)
Common patterns	SVO, SVOO	SVC, SVOC
Example	She reads books.	She is a doctor. / She is happy.
Key check	Subject ≠ Object	Subject = Complement

About the Author: joe

Hi, I’m Joe. I completed my BA and MA at Purdue University. My research topic was effectiveness and reliability of standardized tests like the SAT and TOEFL. After that, I worked in the test development industry and designed questions to make sure they reflected the skills of interest. I’ve spent time on both the research side and the practical side of test design, and I want to support SAT learners here. Having seen how test questions are actually made, I can give students effective strategies for SAT test takers.