17. Complementation: A Key Element in Academic Writing

The writers commonly need to express complex ideas, introduce claims, interpret pieces of writing, report information, etc. This they have to do this keeping in focus a number of meta-discursive objectives (e.g., their stance, objectivity, distance from their subject matter). For the achievement of these objectives, the writers make use of complement clauses. These clauses have various forms and roles i.e., verb complement clauses, noun complement clauses, and adjective complement clauses.  All these clauses are different from one another in terms of their meanings. For the productive and appropriate use of these clauses, the writers require a good knowledge of these clauses. This post has been composed with the purpose to provide the novice writers with the related knowledge.   

1. Complementation

Complementation in a sentence is the presence of certain words, phrases or clauses. The function of these constructions is to provide essential information for the completion of the meaning of a verb, noun, or adjective. In this way these make the sentences grammatically correct as well as meaningful. Further, these elements are essential for expressing a complete thought and making a sentence logically sound.

2. A Complement Clause

A complement (content) clause is a dependent clause that stays with an independent clause to complete the meaning of a noun, adjective, or a verb. In other words, it provides necessary information with which the intended meaning of a noun, verb or adjective are conveyed successfully. For example:

1. The information that the project has been approved is solacing. [a noun complement]
2. He believed that the employees were happy. [a verb complement]
3. I am happy that my brother has won a gold medal. [an adjective complement]

A complement clause in itself stays as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb in the sentence.   The complementizers that introduce complement clauses are: that, whether, if, what, when, where, who, or how. For example:

1. The idea that all the board members are updated is not correct.
2. Anjum has to decide whether he should continue his education or run a business.
3. The policeman asked me if I had my driving license card with me.
4. We noted what the cattle grazed at.
5. I do not know when he will return my money.
6. It is not clear where they will stay at night.
7. We need to know who has destroyed these flower pots.
8. It is important to determine how this target can be achieved.

3. Various Forms of Complement Clause

The complement clauses can take various forms. These forms are that-clauses, wh-clauses, to-infinitive clauses, and ing-clauses.

3.1 Noun Complement Clauses

The noun complement clauses perform the function of nouns in sentences and can stay in the position of subject, object, or complements of other nouns.

3.1.1 Subject complement

A subject complement clause renames or defines, or completes the meaning of the subject in a sentence. This clause stays after a linking verb. For example:

1. The question is whether he will fulfill his promise.
2. My hope is that the weather will become fine.

3.1.2 Object complement

An object complement clause renames or modifies, or completes the meaning of the object in a sentence. For example:

1. The board considered him capable.
2. The committee declared her winner.

3.1.3 Noun Complement

A noun clause can stay as a complement the head noun in a noun phrase. For example:

1. The view that every individual can be a good writer is not sustainable.
2. The plan that all the employees are fed in the mid-day break is not feasible.

3.2 Verbs Complement Clauses

The verb complement clauses can take the position of the direct or indirect object of a verb in the larger sentence structure. The function of these clauses is to supply necessary information for the completion of the verb’s meaning.

3.2.1 That-clauses

These clauses are introduced by that and frequently follow the verbs such as, say, understand, know, believe. For example:

1. I know that they are close friends.
2. They understand that the department is faced with financial constraints.

3.2.2 Wh-clauses

These clauses are introduced by wh words (who, what, where, when, why, how) and follow the verbs such as know, ask, wonder, etc. For example:

1. I knew what his plan was.
2. They asked where the main post office was.

3.2.3 To-infinitive clauses

These clauses are introduced by to + base form of verb. For example:

1. I want to visit desert areas of my country.
2. They jumped to cross the barrier.

3.2.4 -ing-Clauses

These clauses are introduced by the –ing form of the verb. For example:

1. He enjoys visiting hill stations.
2. She knows cooking sweet dishes.

3.3 Adjective Complement Clauses

These clauses describe or modify adjectives by adding enrichment to the description of the adjectives. These clauses are introduced by that or whether and follow an adjective in a larger sentence and provide essential meaning to the adjective concerned. For example:

1. He is happy that he will visit Gulf States.
2. I am not sure that the elections will be held on time.

There is another category of adjective clauses which are introduced by who, which, that, whose, and whom. These clauses are called relative clauses. Contrary to adjective complement clauses, these clauses provide additional or non-essential information about the noun they modify. For example:

1. The man that I saw in the stadium was very tall.
2. The tasks which I usually take are tiresome.

4. Meaning Difference between Complements Types

The types of complements are different from one an other in terms of meaning. For example, that-clauses show the association of complement and knowledge.

4.1 That Complements

Commonly, that complements are present in say clauses or know clauses. However, know type of clauses have been found more basic and say clauses can be reduced to know type. For example:

1. Akbar said that Shaheen was a tall man.
2. Akbar knew that Shaheen was a tall man

             or

Akbar knows that Shaheen is a tall man.

The use of that-complementation with assertive verbs such as assume, presume, expect, etc., can be considered as semantic derivates of ‘know’. It means these are the verbs which semantically refer to knowing in the affirmative or in the negative. Assertive verbs occur with that clauses because these clauses provide information in objective and informative form.  This organization is in contrast to the binding aspect of to-infinitive.

4.2 That Clauses Vs Infinitive Clauses

When we compare to-infinitive clauses and that complements, to-infinitive clauses give the meaning of ‘thinking’, ‘wanting’, ‘opinion’, and ‘future time’. On the other hand, that complements can be accommodated in the sentences where the component of frame ‘know’ can be reconstructed. However, the type of knowledge marked in this construction is not ‘personal’ knowledge. In other words, it is ‘public’ knowledge which one can know from the related sources. In simple words, that complements introduce an objective, impersonal ‘one can know’ perspective of knowledge.

The proposition in a that clause is introduced considering it more or less autonomous. Thus the link between complement and main clauses is not very close. This is what makes that-clauses the primary option for assertive verbs. In other words, a that clause (which introduces the speech event) and the principal clause stand as two separate units in a construction. However, an infinitival complement has a tendency to fuse them (both main and subordinate) into one unit. Therefore, infinitives are found to be highly appropriate complements for commissive verb (e.g. promise, guarantee, offer, etc.). Further, that clauses are linked to truth and actual states of affairs. Contrarily infinitive clauses are related to potential, i.e., not actual states of affairs. Furthermore,when the complementizer that is used in that clauses, it imposes an atemporal construal on the clause it combines with. On account of this behavior, it serves to objectify the proposition expressed. In short, there is an association of the construction of that-clause with truth, knowledge and objectivity.

On the whole, complement clauses stay as essential sentence components that complete the meaning of a noun, a verb, or an adjective. These clauses are frequently used to report information, present opinions, express complex ideas, or introduce hypothetical situations in research articles. Further, these clauses (especially that clauses) are used to report findings, introduce claims, interpretations, and express the author’s stance. They also indicate (with the use of believe that, argue that or suggest that) the writer’s certainty or agreement with a claim in focus. Furthermore, these clauses help academic authors express their objectivity and how they can distance themselves from their subjective matter.

In this post, first the concepts of complementation and complement clauses have been presented and illustrated with related examples. Next, various forms of complements, i.e., noun complement, verb complement, and adjective complement have been detailed. Next, meaning difference between various types of complements have been presented. In the end, that complement clauses and infinitive clauses have been compared so that the type of knowledge they highlight may be indicated. If the learning writers learn these concepts and points presented herein, the level of their accomplishment in writing will go up.

Sources consulted:

1. Brandt, Hargreaves, Theakston (2023)
2. Parkinson (2013)
3. Vergaro (2015)
4. Wierzbicka (1988)