Download Active and Passive Voice

Compliment the
Complements!
Direct and Indirect Objects
You are such a
smart direct
object!
Thank you! You’re
an intelligent
indirect object
yourself!
What’s a Complement?

Words that complete the meaning of the
action verb
◦ Adam threw the ball.
There are two types of complements:
 1. Direct Objects
 2. Indirect Objects

Direct Objects
A noun or a pronoun that names the
receiver of a verb’s action
 Answers the question what or whom


Example: Natasha loves the book.
◦ loves is the action verb
◦ book is the direct object
Identify the direct object in the
following sentences.

Mary drove the car to the store.

Jack married Jill last year.

Mike rode the bike to school.

Jeri bought food at the store.

Mom cooked the peas for supper.
Answers

Mary drove the car to the store.

Jack married Jill last year.

Mike rode the bike to school.

Jeri bought food at the store.

Mom cooked the peas for supper.
Identify the direct objects in the
following sentences.

In the story, James built a fire.

A long time ago, settlers left home by
horse.

The policeman chased the crook down
the street.
Answers

In the story, James built a fire.

A long time ago, settlers left home by
horse.

The policeman chased the crook down
the street.
Transitive Verbs

An action verb that has at least one direct
object
Example: Good students avoid detention.
 avoid is the transitive verb
 detention is the direct object

Bob hit the ball.
hit = transitive verb
ball = direct object
 The
policeman gave
a ticket to the
speeder.
 He
sent the letter.
sent = transitive verb
letter = direct object
Let’s Practice…
1. Find the transitive verb
 2. Find the direct objects

My sister draws pictures.
 Harry invited you and me.
 Mr. Kelly packed pants, shirts, and ties.
 Ivan often crossed the Brooklyn Bridge.

Let’s Practice…
Direct Objects = underlined
 Transitive Verb = blue

My sister draws pictures.
 Harry invited you and me.
 Mr. Kelly packed pants, shirts, and ties.
 Ivan often crossed the Brooklyn Bridge.

What is an Indirect Object?
Tells to what or to whom or for what or
for whom an action is done
 Action verbs that have an indirect object
will always have a direct object
 Not every sentence has an indirect object


Example: Andrea gave Alex a ride.
◦ ride is the direct object
◦ Alex is the indirect object
Those Pesky Prepositions…
 If
the preposition to or for appears in the
sentence, the word that follows it is not
an indirect object, it is the object of the
preposition.
 Example:
Martin’s mother taught the rules
of the road to him.
◦ In this sentence, to him is a prepositional
phrase and there is only a direct object.
Identify the indirect object in the
following sentences.

Did your boyfriend send you flowers?

John read his nephew an exciting story.

Our father built the family a picnic table.
Answers

Did your boyfriend send you flowers?

John read his nephew an exciting story.

Our father built the family a picnic table.
Identify the indirect object in the
following sentences.

The doctor sent me a bill for his services.

We gave my mother a book for her
birthday

Will Jim get us tickets to the game?
Answers

The doctor sent me a bill for his services.

We gave my mother a book for her
birthday

Will Jim get us tickets to the game?
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs can stand alone in a
sentence and make sense.
 Intransitive verbs do not need a direct
object.
Examples:
◦ The plant grows.
◦ The mouse squeaked.
◦ The cat will run.

Intransitive
Verbs:
Examples
S
av

The train stopped.
◦ The train stopped what? There is nothing in the
sentence to say what the train stopped (i.e., there
is no object). There is no transfer of action.

Last night we
ate
S
av on the patio.
◦ We ate what? There is nothing in the sentence to
say what we ate (i.e., there is no object). We did
not eat some “on the patio.” This is a prepositional
phrase telling where we ate, not what. There is no
transfer of action.
Transitive or Intransitive?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I wrote a letter.
I slept.
The sun rose.
I took the bus.
I understood her question.
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I wrote a letter. transitive
I slept. intransitive
The sun rose. intransitive
I took the bus. transitive
I understood her question.
transitive
The End