3.160 Some combinations of verb and adjective are fixed phrases. You cannot use the verb in front of any other adjective.
I wanted to travel light.
The children ran wild.
The joke was wearing thin with use.
Describing the object of a verb
3.161 You can put an adjective after the object of some transitive verbs. This adjective describes the object, and is often called an object complement.
Willie’s remarks made her uneasy.
I find the British legal system extremely complicated.
Some of these verbs are used to say that someone or something is changed or that someone is given a new job. Others are used to describe a person’s opinion of someone or something.
For information on how to use these verbs in the passive, see paragraph 9.21.
verbs that relate to causing something to happen: Their comments made me angry
3.162 If you want to say that someone or something causes a person or thing to have a particular quality, you can use one of a group of transitive verbs, followed by an adjective.
He said waltzes made him dizzy.
They’re driving me crazy.
Then his captor had knocked him unconscious.
She painted her eyelids deep blue.
He wiped the bottle dry.
Here is a list of verbs that can be used in this way:
cut
drive
get
knock
make
paint
pat
pick
plane
render
rub
send
shoot
sweep
turn
wipe
Most of these verbs can be followed by only one adjective or a very small range of adjectives. However make and render can be used with a wide range of adjectives.
keep, hold, leave
3.163 You can also use keep, hold, and leave with an object followed by an adjective, to say that someone or something is caused to remain in a particular state.
The light through the thin curtains had kept her awake.
Leave the door open.
Hold it straight.
verbs that relate to giving someone a job or role
3.164 If you want to say that someone is given an important job, you can use make, appoint, crown, or elect with an object followed by a noun phrase referring to the job.
In 1910 Asquith made him a junior minister.
The noun used in this way does not usually have a determiner when it refers to a unique job.
Ramsay MacDonald appointed him Secretary of State for India.
verbs of opinion
3.165 Some transitive verbs with the general meaning consider can be used with an adjective or noun phrase to say what someone’s opinion of a person or thing is.
They consider him an embarrassment.
Do you find his view of America interesting?
Here is a list of these verbs:
account
believe
consider
deem
find
hold
judge
presume
reckon
think
Prove can also be followed by an object complement, although it means show, not consider.
He had proved them wrong.
3.166 These verbs are often used in the passive. Believe, presume, reckon, and think are nearly always used in the passive in these structures.
Her body was never found and she was presumed dead.
30 bombers were believed shot down.
3.167 All the verbs listed in paragraph 3.165 except account can also be used with a to-infinitive clause after their object showing what someone thinks a person or thing is like or does.
We believed him to be innocent.
See paragraph 3.206 for information about using a to-infinitive clause after the object of these verbs.
3.168 You can use the verbs listed in 3.165 with it as their object followed by an object complement and a to-infinitive clause to show someone’s opinion of an action. For example, instead of saying She found breathing difficult, you can say She found it difficult to breathe.
Gretchen found it difficult to speak.
He thought it right to resign.
He considered it his duty to go.
These are examples of it being used in an impersonal way. For more information about the impersonal use of it, see paragraphs 9.31 to 9.45.
describing and naming
3.169 If you want to say that people use a particular word, word group, or name to describe or refer to someone or something, you can use the word, word group, or name after one of a group of transitive verbs.
People who did not like him called him dull.
They called him an idiot.
Everyone called her Molly.
He was declared innocent.
They named the place Tumbo Kutu.
Here is a list of verbs that can be used in this way. The first group is followed by an adjective; the second group is followed by a noun phrase; and the third group is followed by a name.
call
certify
declare
label
pronounce
term
~
brand
call
declare
designate
label
proclaim
term
~
call
christen
dub
name
nickname
titles
3.170 The passive verbs be entitled, be headed, and be inscribed are followed by a title or inscription.
The draft document was entitled ‘A way forward’.
describing states
3.171 A few transitive verbs can be followed by an adjective to say that someone or something is in a particular state when something happens to them, or is preferred to be in that state.
More than forty people were burned alive.
…a soup that can be served cold.
They found it dead.
Do you want it white or black?
Here is a list of verbs that can be used in this way:
burn
eat
find
leave