Section 14.3 Nominal Position
One of the most useful things about the nominal function is that it gives you a systematic way to identify what role any noun-like structure is playing in a sentence. Rather than asking “Is this a noun?”—a question about form—you ask “What slot does it fill?”—a question about function. The answer is one of six positions: subject, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, subject complement, or object complement. Each position has a characteristic location in the sentence, and recognizing the position tells you immediately how the nominal relates to the verb and the rest of the clause.
Subject Position.
The subject sits before the main verb and names what the sentence is about—the entity performing the action or being described. Diagnostic: ask “who or what is doing or being something?” The answer is the subject. Across the four examples below, notice that the form changes from a single noun phrase to an entire embedded clause, but the role stays the same:
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The students studied. (NP)
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That he won surprised us. (complement clause)
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Swimming is fun. (present participle phrase)
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To forgive is divine. (infinitive phrase)
Direct Object Position.
The direct object follows a transitive verb and receives the action—it is the thing acted upon. Diagnostic: isolate the verb, then ask “verb what?” or “verb whom?” The answer is the direct object. Most verbs that take an object accept several different nominal forms in this slot, though some restrict their objects to a particular form.
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She read the book. (NP)
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I know that she’s coming. (complement clause)
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He enjoys playing chess. (present participle phrase)
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She wants to succeed. (infinitive phrase)
Indirect Object Position.
The indirect object sits between the verb and the direct object and identifies the recipient or beneficiary of the action. Diagnostic: ask “to whom?” or “for whom?”—the answer is the indirect object. This position is more restricted than the others; it is filled almost exclusively by noun phrases and pronouns, with complement clauses appearing only occasionally:
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She gave me a book. (pronoun)
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Tell whoever asks the truth. (complement clause)
Object of Preposition.
The object of a preposition completes a prepositional phrase. Diagnostic: find a preposition (about, in, by, for, with, etc.); whatever nominal follows and completes its meaning is the object of the preposition. Of all six positions, this one shows the sharpest restriction: present participle phrases and noun phrases appear here freely, but infinitive phrases cannot fill this slot at all (you cannot say interested in to learn).
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We talked about the problem. (NP)
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I’m interested in what you said. (complement clause)
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She succeeded by working hard. (present participle phrase)
Subject Complement Position.
A subject complement follows a linking verb (be, seem, become, appear) and renames or describes the subject. Diagnostic: after a linking verb, ask “the subject equals what?”—if a nominal answers that question, it is functioning as the subject complement. Unlike direct objects, subject complements do not name a different entity; they identify the subject from another angle:
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She is a doctor. (NP)
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The problem is that we’re late. (complement clause)
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His hobby is collecting coins. (present participle phrase)
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The goal is to finish on time. (infinitive phrase)
Object Complement Position.
An object complement follows the direct object and renames or characterizes the direct object—not the subject. It appears after verbs like elect, name, call, consider, declare, appoint, where one entity is being assigned an identity, role, or label. Diagnostic: after the direct object, ask “the direct object equals what?”—if a nominal answers that, it is functioning as the object complement:
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They elected her president. (NP)
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We named the dog Rex. (NP)
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I consider him a good friend. (NP)
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The board declared the meeting a success. (NP)
Object complements are most often noun phrases or adjective phrases. The nominal use—an NP renaming the direct object—is the relevant pattern for this chapter.
