174 Verb Phrases Exercise 11.4 Underline and label the noun phrases that follow the verbs in the following sentences, using Obj ϩ NP Comp and IO ϩ DO for the two complement types. Confi rm your answer by showing both tests: the ϭ/ test and the to/for paraphrase. Obj NP Comp The critics considered her latest book a great success. ϭ/ test: her latest book ϭ a great success to/for paraphrase: X The critics considered a great success to/for her latest book. 1. I have often wished myself a better person. 2. The board considers the CEO a great natural leader. 3. We told them the truth. 4. The President appointed her Undersecretary of State for Latin Affairs. 5. The newspaper named AMPEX Corporation the company of the year. 6. Senator Blather considered himself an expert on foreign affairs. 7. I told them my name. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 174 3/16/09 12:34:15 PM Multiple Verb Complements 175 8. The minister wished them a long and happy life. 9. The magazine ranked him one of the best young golfers in the state. 10. Bruce confessed himself a junk-food addict. 11. The press called her a rising star in the industry. 12. I found us a terrifi c apartment. 13. I found John a bit of a bore. 14. He made himself a cheese sandwich. 15. He made himself a fi rst-rate bridge player. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 175 3/16/09 12:34:15 PM 176 Verb Phrases 3. Object ϩ adjective complement Some verbs, including many (but not all) of the verbs that take noun phrase ϩ noun phrase complements, take object ϩ adjective complements. Here are some examples: Adj Obj ϭ Comp He drives me ϩ crazy. Adj Obj ϭ Comp The proposal left us ϭ cold. Obj ϭ Adj Comp The jury found them ϩ innocent of all charges. Obj ϭ Adj Comp I like my steak ϩ medium-rare. Most uses of this complement type are phrases that allow very little substitution for the adjective object complement. For instance, in the four examples of this complement type given above, few of the adjectives will allow other adjective complements to be used with that verb. In the fi rst example He drives me crazy. we can only substitute a few close synonyms for crazy: He drives me mad. He drives me nuts. In the second example The proposal left us cold. about the only substitute for cold is lukewarm: The proposal left us lukewarm. The same is true of the remaining two examples. We can only substitute guilty for innocent in the third example. In the fourth example, we can only substitute words for describing meat (such as rare, well-done, juicy, and pink) for medium-rare. As is the case with noun phrase object complements, we can easily recognize adjective object complements because they must refer to the object. In the fi rst example above, for instance: (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 176 3/16/09 12:34:15 PM Multiple Verb Complements 177 He drives me crazy. the adjective complement crazy can only refer to the object me. Parallel to what we did with noun phrase object complements, we can represent the relation- ship between the adjective object complement and object by an equal sign (ϭ). For example: The proposal left us cold. us ϭ cold The jury found them innocent of all charges. them ϭ innocent I like my steak medium-rare. my steak ϭ medium-rare Exercise 11.5 Underline and label the objects (Obj) and adjective complements (Adj Comp) in the following sentences. Confi rm your answer by using an ϭ sign to connect the adjective complement to the object. Adj Obj ϭ Comp We usually fi nd their suggestions quite helpful. 1. The senator always gets his opponents angry at his absurd claims. 2. The insulated cover will keep the food cold for hours. 3. I like my chili blazing hot. 4. The press fi nds him quite entertaining. 5. I consider him trustworthy. 6. I need them ready by noon. 7. We painted the deck a light blue. 8. The evidence proves the original hypothesis correct. 9. I would rate their food only so-so. 10. We would like the presentation light and upbeat. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 177 3/16/09 12:34:15 PM 178 Verb Phrases Many verbs that can take objects and object complements (both noun phrase and adjective complements) will also allow an alternate form with to be in front of the object complement. For example, in addition to the following object complements: Obj NP Comp I always imagined him a wealthy man. Adj Obj Comp I always imagined him taller. we have an alternative form with to be: Obj NP Comp I always imagined him to be a wealthy man. Adj Obj Comp I always imagined him to be taller. The forms with and without to be mean exactly the same thing. In fact, often native speakers would prefer to use the version with to be. While not every object complement can be used with the to be paraphrase, most can. Exercise 11.6 Underline and label the objects and type of object complements (NP Comp or Adj Comp) in the following sentences, then insert to be between the object and the object complement. Obj NP Comp The board chose her the next CEO of the company. The board chose her to be the next CEO of the company. 1. We always found them kind and considerate. 2. I believed myself ready. 3. The jury must presume the defendant innocent. 4. I consider you a fair person. 5. The treasurer showed himself a wizard of fi nancial control. 6. We just assumed the budget a done deal. 7. It is a mistake to think him a fool. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 178 3/16/09 12:34:16 PM Multiple Verb Complements 179 8. The court found the plaintiff’s claim valid. 9. I always maintained them one of the best companies in the business. 10. I confessed myself totally ignorant of what they were talking about. 4. Object ϩ adverb of place A few verbs require an expression of place after the object. For example: I put the box on the table. The verb put requires an expression of place. When you put something, you have to put it some- where. If we delete the expression of place, the sentence becomes ungrammatical: X I put the box. The expression of place can be an adverb prepositional phrase (as in the example), or merely a single-word adverb. For example: I put the box there. I put the box down. I put the box back. The adverb of place can also include adverbs that have a sense of motion or direction toward a place. For example: I pushed a coin into the slot of the vending machine. I drove the car into the garage. I drove the car around the parking lot. All of the verbs that take this complement type have a sense of causing someone or something to be placed somewhere or to be moved to some place. Here are some more examples: Can you take me to the airport? Carefully, I laid the eggs in the carton. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. (Saying) Show me where to go. Send any mail that comes to my home address. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 179 3/16/09 12:34:16 PM 180 Verb Phrases One particular pair of verbs that take this complement type causes some nonnative speakers a problem: bring and take. In English, as in many languages, bring and take are directional words. Bring means “toward the speaker,” and take means “away from the speaker.” For example: Please bring the books to me. (toward the speaker) Please bring the books here. (toward the speaker) Please take the books to his office. (away from the speaker) Please take the book there. (away from the speaker) Exercise 11.7 Decide whether bring or take is more appropriate in the following sentences. Can you (bring /take) me to the airport? 1. Can you (bring/take) me home after the meeting? 2. Did you (bring/take) the visitors to the Art Gallery in Old Town? 3. I can (bring/take) them back here, if you like. 4. The van will (bring/take) you to where the ship will dock. 5. Let me (bring/take) you out to dinner tonight. 6. Please (bring/take) the kids back here after the movie. 7. (Bring/Take) your umbrella if you go out to lunch. 8. Why did you (bring/take) them there? 9. The trash collectors fi nally (brought/took) away the old Christmas tree. 10. Look at the trash along the shoreline that the high tide (brought/took) in. 5. Object ϩ that clause Some verbs can take an object followed by a that clause. For example: Obj that clause I told him that his plan was very risky. Obj that clause We reminded the kids that it was time to go to bed. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 180 3/16/09 12:34:16 PM . 3/16/09 12:34:16 PM 180 Verb Phrases One particular pair of verbs that take this complement type causes some nonnative speakers a problem: bring and take. In English, as in many languages, bring. them ready by noon. 7. We painted the deck a light blue. 8. The evidence proves the original hypothesis correct. 9. I would rate their food only so-so. 10. We would like the presentation light. addict. 11. The press called her a rising star in the industry. 12. I found us a terrifi c apartment. 13. I found John a bit of a bore. 14. He made himself a cheese sandwich.