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TOEIC Link Part 5: compliment versus complement

Compliment with an i means praise; complement with an e means something that completes or pairs well with another thing. Part 5 puts the two one letter apart and trusts you to read for meaning.

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TOEIC Link Part 5: compliment versus complement

Compliment and complement are separated by a single letter, sound almost identical out loud, and both behave as noun and verb — which is exactly why Part 5 likes to put them side by side. The difference is entirely in meaning: a compliment is a word of praise, while a complement is a thing that completes or goes well with something else. For another single-letter business pair that turns on meaning rather than grammar, see affect versus effect.

The core rule: praise versus completion

  • compliment (with an i) = an expression of praise, or to give praise. The client paid us a compliment on the new design. / She complimented the team on its quick response.
  • complement (with an e) = something that completes or balances another thing, or to complete or pair well with. The wine is a perfect complement to the meal. / The two products complement each other.

The memory hook lives in the vowel: complim_i_ent carries an i, and praise is something I give to you. Compl_e_ment shares its e with the word complete — a complement makes something complete.

Why Part 5 likes this pair

Because both spellings are real words and both can be a noun or a verb, no answer can be eliminated on grammar alone. The blank will accept either form structurally, so only the sentence's meaning tells you which is right.

The accessories __ the outfit and pull the whole look together.

The accessories complete the outfit, so the answer is complement. Substitute compliment and the sentence claims the accessories are praising the outfit, which makes no sense.

The manager __ the new hire on her thorough report.

Here the manager is giving praise, so complimented is correct.

Watch the related adjectives

Part 5 also tests the -ary adjective forms, and the trap deepens because they too differ by one letter:

  • complimentary = given free, or expressing praise. The hotel offers complimentary breakfast. (free) / The review was complimentary. (full of praise)
  • complementary = completing or combining well. The two roles are complementary. (they fit together)

A free gift and a kind word are both complimentary with an i; two things that fit together are complementary with an e.

Spotting the clue in the sentence

Ask whether the sentence is about praise or pairing:

  • Words of approval, a free perk → compliment / complimentary (the i version).
  • One thing completing or balancing another → complement / complementary (the e version).

For another pair where one extra letter flips the meaning entirely, see personal versus personnel.

Quick self-check

  1. The keynote speaker received a warm __ from the audience. (compliment — praise)
  2. A strong marketing plan is the natural __ to a good product. (complement — it completes the product)

Takeaway

Spell it with an i when you mean praise — a compliment is something I give you — and with an e when you mean a thing that makes another complete. The grammar will not narrow the choice for you, so read the sentence for meaning: approval points to compliment, and fitting-together points to complement.