---
title: complement — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «complement» in the school dictionary: To complement something is to go well with it and make it better or complete. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# complement

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** complement, full complement, Complementary angles, one, word, She · **What happens:** complement, be, make, go, complete, need · **To what, where:** something, it, complement, whole number, word, meaning

<!-- .vabout -->
«complement» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [complement in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/complement.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To complement something is to go well with it and make it better or complete.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:m1:1
# text = To complement something is to go well with it and make it better or complete.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	complement	complement	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	go	go	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	make	make	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	better	good	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	11	xcomp	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	complete	complete	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complement** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with it; go, well *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | good *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset it=Product |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A complement is something that goes well with another thing and completes it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:m2:1
# text = A complement is something that goes well with another thing and completes it.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	another	another	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	10	det	_	_
10	thing	thing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	completes	complete	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a complement | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **go** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with another thing; well *property* | vn help-72.1-2 «NP V PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent with thing=Beneficiary |
| 3 | **complete** | present |  | complement |  |  |  |  | vn complete-55.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Eventuality |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: noun — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A full complement is the whole number needed, such as a full crew.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:m3:1
# text = A full complement is the whole number needed, such as a full crew.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	number	number	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	needed	need	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
10	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	14	case	_	_
11	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	fixed	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	crew	crew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a full complement | the whole number |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **need** | participle |  | the whole number *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: maths — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Complementary angles add up to 90 degrees; each one is the complement of the other.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:m4:1
# text = Complementary angles add up to 90 degrees; each one is the complement of the other.
1	Complementary	complementary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	angles	angle	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	add	add	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	up	up	ADP	RP	_	3	compound:prt	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	90	90	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	7	nummod	_	_
7	degrees	degree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	13	punct	_	_
9	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	10	det	_	_
10	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj	_	_
11	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	cop	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **add up** *speech: assert* | present | Complementary angles |  |  |  |  | to 90 degrees | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V ADVP-Middle PP»: agent=Patient to degree=Co-Patient |
| 2 | **is a** | present | each one | the complement |  |  |  | of the other | tree rules |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: grammar — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A complement is a word or phrase that completes the meaning after verbs like «be», as in «She is a doctor».

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:m5:1
# text = A complement is a word or phrase that completes the meaning after verbs like «be», as in «She is a doctor».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	phrase	phrase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	9	nsubj	_	_
9	completes	complete	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	meaning	meaning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	after	after	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
13	verbs	verb	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	obl	_	_
14	like	like	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	13	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	25	punct	_	_
19	as	as	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
20	in	in	ADP	IN	_	25	case	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	25	nsubj	_	_
23	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	25	cop	_	_
24	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	25	det	_	_
25	doctor	doctor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
26	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	25	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a complement | a word or phrase |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **complete** | present | a word or phrase | the meaning |  |  | after verbs |  | vn complete-55.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent meaning=Eventuality |
| 3 | **is** *in a quote* | present | She |  |  |  |  | as a doctor | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The red scarf complements her black coat.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x1:1
# text = The red scarf complements her black coat.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	red	red	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
3	scarf	scarf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	complements	complement	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
5	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	black	black	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	coat	coat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Chips complement fish perfectly.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x2:1
# text = Chips complement fish perfectly.
1	Chips	chip	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	fish	fish	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
4	perfectly	perfectly	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The complement of a 30-degree angle is 60 degrees.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x3:1
# text = The complement of a 30-degree angle is 60 degrees.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	30-degree	30-degree	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	angle	angle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	60	60	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	degrees	degree	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the complement of a 30-degree angle | 60 degrees |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our team has its full complement of eleven players.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x4:1
# text = Our team has its full complement of eleven players.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
5	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	eleven	eleven	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	9	nummod	_	_
9	players	player	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Our team | team's full complement of eleven players |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent complement=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Blue and orange are complementary colours.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x5:1
# text = Blue and orange are complementary colours.
1	Blue	blue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	orange	orange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	conj	_	_
4	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	complementary	complementary	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	colours	colour	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Blue complementary colours |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her quiet calm complemented his loud energy.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x6:1
# text = Her quiet calm complemented his loud energy.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	quiet	quiet	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	calm	calm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	complemented	complement	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
6	loud	loud	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	energy	energy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **complement** | participle | Her quiet calm | calm's loud energy |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In «The soup is hot», «hot» is the complement.

<!-- fold The tree, 9 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:complement:x7:1
# text = In «The soup is hot», «hot» is the complement.
1	In	in	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
2	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	soup	soup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
6	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	hot	hot	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	14	cop	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	complement	complement	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | the soup |  |  |  |  | hot *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **be** *in a quote* |  | the soup *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **is a** | present |  | the complement |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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