What is the Difference Between Adjunct and Complement?

The main difference between adjuncts and complements lies in their necessity and relation to the head of a sentence. Here are the key differences:

1. Necessity: Adjuncts are not necessary and add extra information, while complements are necessary to complete the meaning of the sentence.
2. Relation to the head: Complements mostly immediately follow the head and bear a closer relation to the head than adjuncts.
3. Stackability: Adjuncts can be stacked or repeated in a sentence, while complements typically cannot.
4. Obligatoriness: Only complements can be obligatory, meaning they must be present in the sentence for it to be grammatically correct.

Here are some examples to illustrate the differences:

• In the sentence "She put some salt in the soup," "some salt" is an adjunct because it adds extra information but is not necessary for the sentence to make sense.
• In the same sentence, "in the soup" is a complement because it completes the meaning of the verb "put" and is necessary for the sentence to be grammatically correct.

Remember that the distinction between adjuncts and complements is based on their function in a sentence and their relation to the head of the sentence. Adjuncts provide additional information, while complements are essential for the sentence's meaning and structure.

Comparative Table: Adjunct vs Complement

Here is a table highlighting the differences between adjuncts and complements:

In summary, complements are essential for completing the meaning of a sentence, while adjuncts provide supplementary information that is not necessary for the sentence's core meaning. Complements are closely related to the subject and object, whereas adjuncts can be placed in different positions in a sentence without affecting its meaning.