MTEL Communication Literacy Skills: Writing Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The term "complement" refers to a word or group of words that complete the meaning of a verb. In the context of intransitive verbs, which do not take a direct object, a complement provides additional information to clarify or enhance the sentence's meaning. For example, in the sentence "She is happy," the word "happy" is a complement that completes the meaning of the intransitive verb "is." Complements can take various forms, including adjectives and noun phrases, and play a crucial role in conveying the full idea intended by the subject and verb.

In contrast, a subject identifies who or what is performing the action or being described in the sentence. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that adds description or limits the meaning of another word, but it does not serve to complete the meaning of the verb. The predicate encompasses the entire part of the sentence that explains what the subject does or is, which includes the verb and any complements or modifiers but does not specifically refer to the word that completes the meaning of intransitive verbs.