Download Chapter 4: Complements Direct and Indirect Objects, Subject

Objects of Verbs


Direct objects and indirect objects
complete the meaning of transitive verbs.
Remember, transitive verbs express
actions towards objects (nouns: people,
place, thing, or idea).
Direct Objects


A direct object is a noun, pronoun, or word group
that tells who or what receives the action of the
verb.
A direct object answers the question “Whom?” or
“What?” after a transitive verb.
Examples:
Our history class built a model of the Alamo.
[The noun model receives the action of the verb built.]
Has the freeze destroyed some of the crop?
[The pronoun some receives the action of the verb has
destroyed.]

A direct object can never complete the
meaning of a linking verb because a linking
verb does not express action.
William Wordsworth became poet laureate of
England in 1843. [The verb does not express action.]

A direct object is never part of a prepositional
phrase.
He walked for hours in the English countryside.

A direct object may be compound.
Mrs. Neiman planted tulips and daffodils.
Indirect Objects

An indirect object is a noun, pronoun, or
word group that sometimes appears in
sentences containing a direct object.
An indirect object tells to whom or to what
or for whom or for what the action of the
verb is done.
Examples:
 Luke showed the class his collection.
[The noun class tells to whom Luke showed his collection.]

Sarita brought us a chess set.
[The pronoun us tells for whom Sarita brought a chess set.]

Dad gave whatever needed fixing his full
attention.
[The noun clause whatever needed fixing tells to what Dad gave
his attention.]



Linking verbs do not
have indirect objects.
An indirect object, like
a direct object, is
never in a
prepositional phrase.
A noun or pronoun
that follows to or for
is the object of the
preposition, not an
indirect object.
Like a direct object,
an indirect object may
be compound.
Direct
Object
Indirect
Object
Whom?
To what?
What?
To whom?
For what?
For whom?