SUBJECT, VERB, COMPLEMENT AND MODIFIER

SUBJECT

The general pattern of a sentence consists of Subject (Subject) Verb (predicate), Complement (object) and Modifier (description). Initial discussion is indeed easy, because it is almost the same with the Indonesia language rules. 

Example sentence:

George/ is cooking/ dinner /tonight
(subject)/ (verb phrase)/ (complement)/ (modifier of time)
We /eat/ lunch /in this restaurant /today
(subject)/ (verb phrase)/ (complement)/ (modifier of place)(modifier of time)

The Subject is the agent of the sentence in the active voice, Subject is the person or thing that does the action of the sentence, and subject normally precedes the verb.

Note: Every sentence in English must have a Subject

Example:  Coffee is delicious

Milk contains calcium

VERB

Verb to follow subjects in declarative sentences, generally shows the action of the sentence. Example: John drives too fast. It could also be a verb phrase consisting of one or more auxiliary aids/words.

Example: John is going to Miami tomorrow. the word "is" is the auxiliary.

COMPLEMENT

A complement completes the verb. It is similar to the subject because it is usually a noun or noun phrase, However, it generally follows the verb when the sentence is in the active voice.

Note:Every sentence does not require a complement.

The complement CANNOT begin with a preposition.

Example: He was smoking a cigarette

                John bought a cake yesterday

MODIFIER

Modifier tells the time, place or manner of the action. Very often it is a prepositional Phrase. Prepositional Phrase is a group of words that begins  with a preposition and ends with a noun.

Note: A modifier of time usually comes last if more than one modifier is present.

Example: of prepositional phrases in the morning, at the university, on the table.

Note:The modifier normally follows the complement, but not always. However, the modifier, especially when it is a prepositional phrase, usually cannot separate the verb and the complement.

Example: She drove the car on the street

           ^{verb     complement}

reference:

http://diah_aw.staff.gunadarma.ac.id/Downloads

WIKIPEDIA.COM

http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/subject.htm