Direct and Indirect Objects

Direct and Indirect Objects

Reminders… Subject: performs the action of the sentence. Verb: is the action of the sentence.

Direct Objects: A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive action verb.

Examples To find the direct object ask: “What?” or “Whom?” OR “For What?” or “For Whom?” of the verb.

 The old man chewed his food.

Chewed what?

 The dog dug a hole under the fence.  Alexander the Great conquered leaders in most of ancient Europe.

Dug what?

Conquered what?

Identify the Direct Objects in the following sentences.   

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Tommy caught the flu and is at home sick. My teacher wanted my essay. The Seahawks played an amazing game in spite of their loss Monday night. After class, I wrote a note. The young girl scouts sold cookies and drinks at the football game.

Indirect Objects: An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that indirectly receives the action of a transitive action verb. It names the person to whom or for whom something is done.

Examples To find the indirect object ask: “To Who?” or “To Whom?” OR “For Who? or “For Whom? of the direct object.

 After class I wrote her a note.

Wrote what? To whom?

 My cousin brought us freshly picked Brought what? vegetables. For who?  Loud music gives my brother headaches.

Gives what? To whom?

Identify the Indirect Objects in the following sentences.  

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Hannah sent me an email. Caroline baked her family double-fudge brownies. Ben’s sister made the team a pitcher of lemonade. I gave the dog a dish of water. Johnny Depp gave me his autograph.

Danger Will Robinson! When the indirect object follows a preposition, it becomes the object of the preposition, and is no longer considered an indirect object. Example: Indirect Object

Example: Prepositional Phrase

After class I wrote her a note.

After class I wrote a note to her. Since it follows the preposition to, it is the object of the preposition and NOT an indirect object.

Question: Indirect Object or Object of the Preposition?  

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Walker gave the bone to the dog. OP I tutored my sister for her math test. OP On Thanksgiving, my mother prepared us IO a feast. On Halloween, my family gave candy to OP the neighborhood children. The middle school sent the shelter five IO hundred cans of food.

Transitive Verbs Verbs which transfer their action to an object. In other words, transitive verbs have a direct object.

Note: For a sentence to have an indirect object, it must always have a direct object, but a sentence can have a direct object without an indirect object.

Intransitive Verbs Verb that completes its action without an object. Examples:

 I apologized for my late assignment.  assignment is the object of the preposition for; there is no direct object.

 I explained about my sore toe.  toe is the object of the preposition about; there is no direct object

Remember… Since a linking verb does not express an action, it is intransitive. Apologies are wonderful. (Predicate Adjective) My explanation was a failure. (Predicate Noun)