Complements

Question

i was taught that without a complement the sentence stands incomplete.but in the following sentence:

I saw them running away.

here the sentence i saw them gives meaning.so, is the above statement true?
please reply me i hav an exam in a couple of days.

Andriy Lapin · Accepted Answer

An interesting question, my friend.

First, not every sentence requires a complement. There are verb patterns that take neither objects nor complements, as

I suddenly woke up.

Second, you case is different, because the verb 'see' can be used in two different patterns - monotransitive, as in

I saw them.

The idea behind the sentence is simply that you saw some a number of people/objects.

However, if you try to express with words the idea of seeing 'them' + the fact that they were running away, you have to use complex transitive pattern:

I saw them running away.

'I saw them' makes sense, of course, but it is not the idea you need to convey, so the meaning is dramatically different.

Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff

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