The head noun in a noun phrase is commonly followed by a complement or modifier or both. A complement is a phrase or clause that usually occurs directly after the head noun and completes the meaning of the head noun. Particularly, it supplies necessary information which helps know what the noun is referring to. The significance of complements in a noun phrase is that they clarify the meaning of head noun. Further, they frequently provide additional context or contextual details which specify head noun’s nature or characteristics. Thus, the proper use of complements after the head noun in noun phrases is essential for the advanced writing.
1. Abstract Head Nouns and Complements
Normally, abstract nouns (nouns which represent a concept or idea) take complements after them because a complement explains what that abstract noun (idea) relates to. The nouns which mostly require complements are: reason, belief, need, criticism, idea, thought, perfection, etc. For example:
- We like the perfection of his bowling skill.
In this example, the perfection is an abstract noun and is complemented by the phrase of his bowling skill. When the perfection (the noun) and of his bowling skill are taken together, they stay as one complete single idea or thought.
2. Complement Types of Head Noun
Head noun complementsare comprised of either preposition phrases or certain types of subordinate clauses. If a complement is a preposition phrase, the preposition is specified by the Head noun, e.g. a ban on beggary, her purchase of books. We can note that heads like ban and purchase take preposition on. On the other hand, when a subordinate clause stays as a complement, the head noun of the clause is specified by the noun head. The examples of these constructions are: the news that he was robbed, an opportunity to repair losses. As far as the subordinate clauses after heads are concerned, they are licenced by heads.
2.1 Prepositional Phrase Complements
The prepositional phrase that stays as a complement of an NP (derived from verb), its preposition is specified by the head noun. The placement of PP after the head noun is obligatory because the noun has no meaning without it. For example:
the acceptance of social changes, a paucity of reliable data, a dearth of new ideas, the advent of the steam engine, the feasibility of the proposal, a flock of sheep, a bunch of flowers, a piece of paper, their effort for success, his association with publishers, a direction for punctuality, etc.
As shown in the noun phrases given above, i.e. in the areas such as knowledge generation (academic research), social advancement, economic development, technical progress, etc., the nouns mostly precede a PP headed by of.
2.2 Abstract Head Noun + Complement Correspondence to Transitive Verb
In common sentences, transitive verbs take objects after them. But, when these verbs are turned into nouns (nominalized), they are followed by complements instead of objects. The complement of a noun derived from verb has the form of a prepositional phrase that corresponds to the object of the verb. This similarity has been indicated in the table 1.
Table 1: Correspondence between Abstract Nouns and Transitive Verbs
| Verb + Object | Nominalization + PP as Compliment |
| i. a. He endorsed my views. | b. his endorsement of my views |
| ii. a. She acknowledged her mistake. | b. her acknowledgement of her mistake. |
| iii. a. Karim married Saima | b. Karim’s marriage to Saima. |
| iv. a. Kabir struggled to know the secret. | b. Kabir’s struggle to know the secret |
Usually, the preposition of stays after nominalization as the head of the prepositional phrase. However, at times, other prepositions can also come as to in [iv b] or subordinate clauses can also follow the nominalizations as in (v b).
2.3 Head Nouns (derived from verbs) with PPs as Complements
When the particular head nouns are derived from intransitive verbs, they require or license dependents in the form of PPs as their complements. These complements correspond to subject NPs in a clause structure. The correspondence of complements with a subject can be seen in table 2.
Table 2: Head Nouns + Intransitive Verbs and Noun + PP complements
| Subject + Verb | Noun + PP Complement |
| i. a. The pilgrims departed. | b. the departure of the pilgrims |
| ii. a. The enemy attacked. | b. an attack by the enemy |
| iii. a. The students danced. | b. a dance by the students |
2.4 Head Noun + PP Complement (object) + PP Complement (Subject)
The pp complements that correspond to subject can also combine with one pp complement that correspond to the object in a clause. This relationship is made clear in the table 3.
Table 3: Correspondence between object and PP complement + subject and PP complement
| Subject + Verb + Object | Noun + PP Compl- (obj) + PP Compl- (subj) |
| i. a. The president opened the ceremony. | b. The opening of the ceremony + by the president. |
| ii. a. The attendant cleared the table. | b. The clearance of the table + by the attendant. |
2.5 Genitive NP (Object) + PP Complement (Subject)
The PP complements that correspond to the object in a clause with the derived noun can also stay in the form of a genitive NP. This relationship is made clear in the table 4.
Table 4: Correspondence between genitive NP (object) and PP (Subject)
| Subject + Verb + Object | Genitive NP + PP Complement – (Subject) |
| i. a. The president opened the ceremony. | b. The ceremony’s opening by the president. |
| i. a. The attendant cleared the table. | b. The table’s clearance by the attendant. |
3. Head Noun Can Take Different PP Complements in Different Contexts
An important point to note here is that the same noun in different contexts can take prepositional complements with different prepositions. For example:
- There is no advantage in purchasing books in this digital age.
- The advantage of an advanced education is always significant.
- Saleem’s only advantage over his colleagues is his communication ability.
4. Content (subordinate) Clause Complements
A content (that) clause complement provides an essential information for completing the meaning of the head noun in a noun phrase. For example:
- I do not like the idea that the players leave for their homes in this hotness. (full clause)
- The fact that the employees of this office are not properly paid is always neglected.
In examples (a & b), that clauses are the complements that specify or inform what the “idea” “fact” are.
5. Infinitive Noun Complement
An infinitive noun complement plays the role of a noun and provides information about the head noun in a noun phrase. For example:
- There is no need for you to explain. (infinitive)
- Sabir’s effort to win the competition was really great.
There are three types of nouns that commonly take infinitive as their complement: (1) Desire or Intention Nouns, e.g., desire, choice, decision, intention, plan, etc.; (2) Agreement or Disagreement Nouns, e.g., agreement, refusal, objection, permission, etc.; (3) Chance or opportunity Nouns: chance, opportunity, occasion, possibility, etc.
A noun (derived from a verb or an adjective) may take a finite or non-finite subordinate clause as complement. This relationship is obvious in table 5.
Table 5: Subordinate Clause as a Noun Complement
| Finite Subordinate clause complements | Non-finite Subordinate clause complements |
| a. the consideration that he was competent | a. her competence to gather the required money |
| ii. b. an opinion that he is faithful | b. his eagerness to take this high stake test |
6. Indirect Complements
Sometimes, NPs precede the indirect complements. These complements are called indirect complements because these are not licensed or required by the head noun. For example:
- They had to bear [more expenditure than they had expected].
- He made [so high jump that the audience were completely astonished].
- It was [too complicated a situation for us to deal with].
In the above examples, the words in bold are NPs and the words in italics are indirect complements. In example (a), the complement is licensed by the comparative adjective more. Without this comparative adjective, the NP (expenditure than they had expected) goes ungrammatical. Similarly, in (b), the complement is licensed by so, that complements ‘high jump’. In (c), the complement is licensed by too. In this case we can drop ‘too complicated’ and no ungrammaticality arises. However, the interpretation of the infinitival clause (to deal with) will be changed dramatically. When the words ‘too complicated’ are present, the clause (to deal with) is interpreted as the situation that was too difficult to be dealt with. But without the words ‘too complicated’, the interpretation is that it is our duty to deal with this situation.
7. Position of Complements in a Sentence
The noun complements stay as a part of the noun phrase. However, this phrase may be in the position of subject or object of the verb or object of the preposition. For example:
- Shaheen mentioned that the domestic chores were not being attended to.
- By mentioning that the domestic chores were not being attended to, Shaheen sensitized his wife.
- Shaheen’s wife listened tiredly when he mentioned that the domestic chores were not being attended to.
On the whole, the provision of noun complements, i.e., prepositional phrases, that (content) clauses, and to-infinitive clauses in a sentence is highly significant as these help specify the head noun’s content, traits, or purpose and through this role they enhance the overall meaning and clarity of the sentence.
Sources consulted
- https://langeek.co/
- Huddleston and Pullum (2007)
- Phil Williams (2015)
