Compliment / Complement

 Compliment / Complement

• These words have similar spellings but completely different meanings. If you compliment someone, you say something very nice to them:
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  • She complimented me on my English.
  • They have complimented me on my success.
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  If one thing complements another, the two things work or look better because they are together:
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  • The different flavours complement each other perfectly.
  • The different dance styles in the performance absolutely complemented each other.
• The adjectives are also often confused.
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•  Complimentary:
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• • She made some very complimentary remarks about my English.
  • The principal made complimentary remarks about the students' presentations.
  It can also mean ‘free’:
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  • There was a complimentary basket of fruit in our room.
  • The participants will be given a complimentary copy of the book.
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  Complementary:
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• two people or things that are complementary are different but together form a useful or attractive combination of skills, qualities or physical features.
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  • The team members have different but complementary skills.
  • The costume has different but complementary colours.
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