A frightened man

He hung up the phone = (S+V+O) the main clause of the sentence
a frightened man = (subject) complement= after hanging up the phone he was /became a man who was very frightened

Hi Garlic,

Is it possible to interpret it as "He, a frightened man, hung up the phone" ?

Please read my notes in the related comment posted by Ahhhhh.

2011-07-28 03:40:04 補充：
Ahliu,

You may interpret it that way.

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I think "subject complement" should come after the copula or linking verb to modify the subject.

The structure:
He (subject) hung up (main verb - phrasal verb) the phone (object) a frightened man (object complement).

The meaning:
He hung up the phone which was called by a frightened man.


2011-07-22 11:08:00 補充：
Hello Garlic,

Since you had selected an answer, I suppose you deemed it correct. Please provide a citation to prove it. In fact, I am not satisfied with all the answers posted including mine (only a guess).

After all, the subject sentence may not even be complete or grammatically correct!

2011-07-22 12:26:56 補充：
A complement is any word or phrase that completes the sense of a subject, an object, or a verb.

A subject complement follows a linking verb; it is normally an adjective or a noun that renames or defines in some way the subject.

(copied from http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/...)

2011-07-22 12:29:10 補充：
(continued from 002)

An object complement follows and modifies or refers to a direct object. It can be a noun or adjective or any word acting as a noun or adjective.

A verb complement is a direct or indirect object of a verb.