Direct objectBy: Evan Blalock and Taylor Bartos

What is a direct object?

• A direct object is noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb or shows the result of the action. Direct objects can be nouns, pronouns, phrases, or clauses. Direct objects can only be present with action verbs.

DO

The dog chased the ball.

DO

The little girl played the piano.

How to find a direct object in a sentence.

The dog chased the ball.

1. Find the subject of the sentence The dog chased the ball.

2. Find the verb in the sentence The dog chased the ball.

3. Find the noun that the verb is referring to The dog chased the ball.

That is the direct object.

Compound Direct Objects

• A compound direct object is when you have two or more direct objects in a sentence.

DO1 DO2 DO3

Can you buy milk, bread, and cereal when you go to the store?

DO1 DO2

Do you like soccer or lacrosse?

Compound Direct Objects

• When you are looking for a compound direct object, most of the time the direct objects are in a list. This is one of the most common ways that compound direct objects are incorporated into a sentence.

Direct Object Pronouns

• Direct object pronouns are pronouns used in place of nouns.

• When using pronouns as direct objects don’t use subject pronouns such as I, she, he, or they.

• When using pronouns, you would need to use object pronouns such as me, them, him, her, or it.

Direct Object Pronouns

Would you like to call me?

Me is the direct object pronoun in the sentence. This is an object pronoun, which you can use.

Would you like to play with I?

This is the incorrect use of direct object pronouns. This pronoun is a subject pronoun, which you cannot use.

Indirect objects

• An indirect object tells to whom or for whom the action of the verb is done, and who is receiving the direct object.

IO

She gave me the report.

• Indirect objects are only able to become present if there is a direct object in the sentence as well.

How to find an indirect object in a sentence.

When trying to find an indirect object you need to:

1. Find the direct object to make sure that there is an indirect object in the sentence The girl played the piano at her recital.

2. Then look for someone or something that is getting the direct object The girl played the piano at her recital.

That is your indirect object.

The difference between and indirect and direct object:

Direct object• more common in a

sentence

• receives the action of the verb

Indirect object• only can be present with a

direct object

• receives the direct object or is related to in some way

The cat played with the string

What is the direct object?

String is the direct object

Timmy built a sandcastle at the beach.

What is the direct object and what is the indirect object?

Sandcastle is the direct object and beach is the indirect object.

Which sentence is correct?

Do you understand me?

Do you understand I?

Do you understand me is the correct sentence because it is an object pronoun.

Citations

• http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/directobject.htm.

• http://www.dailygrammar.com/Lesson-106-Direct-Object.htm.

• http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000017.htm.

• http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/indirectobject.htm.