90. In the sentences, (1) “The tomato is a fruit,” (2) “That tall boy is the winner of the race,” the base word of the subjective complement is a noun, because we wish to assert (1) class, (2) identity.
In the sentence, “The old gentleman’s face was serene and rosy,” the base words of the subjective complement are the two adjectives serene and rosy, because we wish to assert the characteristics, or qualities, of the old gentleman’s face.
This is a very common use of the adjective, as seen in the familiar sentences, “Grass is green,” “Honey is sweet,” “Ice is cold.”
91. The verbs of being that were given in Lesson XXV,—be, become, look, seem, appear, feel, smell, taste, sound, and grow,—often take adjectives for subjective complements; as, “My head feels dizzy,” “This sentence sounds queer,” “Mary grew plump and strong.”
In some cases where the language affords no adjectives that exactly express the meaning, we use a prepositional phrase as subjective complement; as in the common expressions, “The house is on fire,” “The girl is in love,” “The man is in debt.” None of these phrases denote place, but each of them denotes a condition.
Note.—An adjective used as a subjective complement is often modified by a prepositional phrase. If we say “The bin is full,” somebody will ask “full of what?” If we say “full of apples,” it is evident that the phrase of apples modifies full. We also say glad of it, tired of play, wild with joy, green with envy, etc. These expressions are different, however, from what we find in the sentence, “I was tired in the evening,” where the phrase in the evening, denoting time, modifies not the adjective tired, but the two words was tired.
Summary.—An adjective, or a group of words of which an adjective is the base word, may be the subjective complement of an intransitive verb.
Exercise.—Select all the intransitive verbs of being in the following sentences. Find their subjects and their complements, and the base words of each. Analyze sentences 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15.
1. The sting of a bee is sometimes deadly.
2. The woodchuck looked sulky, and scratched his nose expressively.
3. The traveler’s limbs were numb, for the ride had been long and wearisome.
4. She might be poor in purse and weak in body, this brave young mother, but she was rich in hope and strong in spirit.
5. By the third day I felt too weak and sick to stir.
6. At these words the king grew purple in the face.
7. Conrad will keep quiet over his books.
8. Mary was beautiful, feminine in spirit, and lovely. Elizabeth was talented, masculine, and plain. Mary was artless, unaffected, and gentle. Elizabeth was heartless, intriguing, and insincere.
9. Your grandfather looked very funny in his red nightcap, and without his teeth.
10. Very few poetic people are good at arithmetic.
11. The garden at the back of the house was sweet with the scent of newly blossomed lilacs and the freshness of young grass.
12. Snow-white was the foam that flashed upward underneath the curving prow.
13. Is not Little Annie afraid of such a tumult?
14. His mouth felt as dry and stiff and hard as a chip.
15. The people went nearly mad for joy.
92. A common error is the misuse of an adverb for an adjective as the subjective complement of a verb of being. We should say, “I feel bad, or ill, or unhappy” (not badly).
Another common error is the misuse of an adjective for an adverb as a modifier of a verb of action. We should say, “The child learns easily” (not easy).
If we wish to tell a quality or condition of the subject, we should use an adjective; as, “The oak leaves turned brown.” If we wish to tell the manner of an action, we should use an adverb; as, “The leaves turned quickly this fall.”
Exercise 1.—Tell the part of speech of each italicized word in these sentences, and justify its use.
1. Mary dresses neatly and always looks charming.
2. The children must keep quiet to-night.
3. Stand straight and breathe deeply.
4. Look at them kindly and speak gently.
5. The old bishop looks kind and gentle.
6. This pie tastes very queer.
7. Mother feels uneasy if we are out late.
8. The boy seemed nervous and felt uneasily of his watch chain.
9. Poor oil made the lamp smell very disagreeable.
10. All the doors stood open.
11. The air grew cold steadily.
12. Keep the box carefully till I return.
Exercise 2.—Select the right word for each of the following sentences, and give your reason in each case:—
1. The light is so poor that I cannot see the picture (plain or plainly).
2. I am frightened when she speaks (cross or crossly) to me.
3. Sit with me so that you can hear (good or well).
4. Does he always deal (honest or honestly) with you?
5. The miser died (miserable or miserably).
6. You came so (sudden or suddenly) that I was taken by surprise.
7. No wonder you fell, you move too (quick or quickly).
8. How (stylish or stylishly) she dresses.
9. I (sure or surely) mailed the letter.
10. Next time I shall act more (sensible or sensibly).
11. Money comes (easy or easily) to him, and is soon gone.
12. I felt so (bad or badly) that I cried.
13. I was ill yesterday, but I feel pretty (good or well) this morning.
14. All my rose bushes look (fine or finely).