Subjective predicative constructions with non-verbal (nominal) second parts

These constructions structurally belong to the same type of subjective predicative constructions, but semantically they are different from those with verbal parts, because the second part of the predicate being a noun or an adjective denotes a new quality or state acquired as a result of the action or denote judgement, opinion of the quality. Because of its meaning the nominal part is sometimes called a subjective predicative.

The door was painted green.

Suddenly the door was flung open.

Some verbs require the second part of the predicate with the preposition as.

The plan was declared as ridiculous and absurd.

The list of verbs used in these constructions partly coincides with verbs mentioned above as preceding the infinitive. Their number is limited.

The following verbs are used in the passive voice:

1. Verbs of mental perception (to accept, to believe, to think, to consider, to expect, to presume, to estimate, to regard, to suppose, etc.); also verbs of saying and reporting (to declare, to describe, to call, to say, to report).

He is believed as honest as anyone here.

The girl was thought clever.

The plan is considered impractical.

He was called ‘rising’, ‘promising’ before.

2. Verbs implying that the result of the action will be a new quality, state, or reaction. These verbs are rather numerous and fall into several subclasses:

A. Verbs with causative meaning (to make, to render)

The room was made comfortable for the child.

He was made a knight.

The audience were rendered speechless by these words.

B. Verbs denoting an action resulting in the change of colour

(to paint, to tinge, to dye, to stain, to dust, etc.).

The walls were painted light pink.

Her hair was dyed red.

After staying on the beach an hour his skin was tinged pink.

His car had been dusted grey by the journey over bad roads.

С. Verbs denoting actions resulting in the change of social rank, status, function of, or giving identification to, a person (to appoint, to call, to christen, to elect, to raise, to select) to mark, etc.); also to train, to bring up, which acquire the meaning of “the change of social status” only in this construction.

He was appointed secretary of the state.

The child was christened Fernando.

The road to the estate was marked private.

The boy had been brought up as a Catholic.

D. Verbs implying movement to a different position or state (to bring, to fling, to set, to tear, etc.).

All the windows were flung open.

The little bird was set free.

The envelope was torn open.

The objective predicative constructions*

* This construction is often called the complex object.

§ 124. The objective predicative construction functions as a complex object. It consists of a nominal part and a part which stands in subject-predicate relations to the first part. The nominal part is a noun or a noun-pronoun in the common case or a personal pronoun in the objective case. The second element of the construction is a verbal (an infinitive, participle I, participle II) or non-verbal (an adjective or a noun). Accordingly the following objective construction can be distinguished:

I. The objective with the infinitive construction:

I saw Nick take your book.

We hate him to go away.

II. The objective with participle I (or participle II) construction:

They heard somebody knocking at the door.

We found him murdered in his own house.

III. The objective with a non-verbal part construction:

I never thought her clever.

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