Writing and rewriting

by George Carver; Thomas A. Knott; William S. Maulsby

Some transitive verbs make an assertion which involves two nouns, both signifying the same thing or person.

The club elected Frank president.

Some transitive verbs make an assertion which involves two different objects or persons.

I gave Frank an apple.

She bought Frank an apple.

I told him a story.

Here apple or story is the object directly affected by the action of the verb, and is, therefore, called the direct object. Frank or him designates the person for whose benefit the action of the verb affects the direct object, and is called the indirect object.

Copulas and Complements

Still another kind of verb, called a copula, though it does not take a direct object, makes only part of the assertion. The rest is made by means of another word (or element) which characterizes the subject but which is an essential part of the assertion. In fact, the complement, as the element completing the verb is called, is the most significant part of the predicate; the verb is merely a bit of machinery by means of which the complement is turned into an assertion.