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Question

Difficulty: HardNouns and Noun Phrases

Read the sentence below carefully:

'The governing council appointed Dr. Adeleke the new vice-chancellor of the university.'

What is the grammatical function of the underlined noun phrase?

  1. Object complementAnswer
  2. B
    Direct object
  3. C
    Subject complement
  4. D
    Appositive

Answer

The underlined noun phrase functions as an object complement.
In English grammar, complex transitive verbs such as 'appoint', 'elect', 'make', 'consider', and 'declare' take a direct object followed by an object complement. In the given sentence, 'Dr. Adeleke' is the direct object, and the underlined noun phrase 'the new vice-chancellor of the university' completes the predicate by describing the capacity or role in which Dr. Adeleke is appointed. Therefore, its grammatical function is an object complement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main verb and sentence structure
The verb 'appointed' is a complex transitive verb that requires both a direct object and an element that completes the object's meaning.
Identifying verb subcategorization helps determine whether subsequent noun phrases function as objects or complements.
2
Identify the direct object
'Dr. Adeleke' is the direct object receiving the action of the verb.
The entity directly affected by the appointment is the person being appointed.
3
Determine the relationship between 'Dr. Adeleke' and 'the new vice-chancellor of the university'
The phrase 'the new vice-chancellor of the university' renames and defines the status assigned to 'Dr. Adeleke'.
A noun phrase that renames or describes a direct object following a complex transitive verb serves as an object complement.

Key Concept

Syntactic functions of noun phrases: Object Complement
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Nouns and Noun Phrases

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