I agree with Linda that the infinitive phrase functions
adverbially to modify “conducted.” An objective complement
basically renames or describes the direct object in the same way a subjective
complement renames or describes the subject. In fact, a good test for the
OC is to see if you can insert “to be” between the DO and what you
might think is an OC. If you can, and the sentence makes sense, then what
you have is a DO and OC. For example, “The governor appointed Jones
chair of the committee” or “The governor appointed Jones (to be)
chair of the committee.”
Another indicator that the DO and OC have the same
relationship as the subject and the SC is that an OC will turn into an SC in a
passive voice construction. Compare “Jones was appointed chair of
the committee by the governor” and “Jones is chair of the
committee.” The OC in active voice “completes” the idea
of the DO. In the passive voice, the word “chair” still
completes the idea of “Jones,” but now “Jones” has
become the subject of the sentence; thus “chair” becomes an SC.
Clinton Atchley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English
Box 7652
1100 Henderson Street
Henderson State Univeristy
Arkadelphia, AR 71999
Phone: 870.230.5276
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.hsu.edu/atchlec
From: Assembly for the
Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alison
Cochrane
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 5:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: explain object complement?
Linda
I would say that it is an infinitive phrase acting as an adverb
of reason, answering why the experiment was conducted.
Alison Cochrane
Queensborough Community College
New York, NY
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have
ended up where I needed to be. "
~ Kahlil Douglas Adams
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