Direct & Indirect Object
In a sentence, the subject and verb may be followed by an
object. An object is a noun or
pronoun that gives meaning to the subject and verb of the sentence.
Not all sentences
contain objects, but some may contain one or more.
There are
two kinds of objects within a
sentence: direct and indirect objects.
I. A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the
action of a verb.
Daniel fixes computers.
- computers=direct object
Try this technique when determining the location of the
direct object in the above
sentence:
1) First locate the subject and verb in the sentence. The
subject in the above sentence
is “Daniel” and the verb is “fixes.”
2) Now ask yourself the questions What? or Whom? about the
verb “fixes.”
3) What does the subject, Daniel, fix? Daniel fixes
computers.
II. Sometimes a direct object is followed by an indirect
object.
An indirect object is the noun or pronoun for which the action is done.
Daniel fixes
computers for his family.
- his family=indirect object
1) First locate the subject (Daniel) and the verb (fixes).
2) Now ask yourself the questions To Whom? To What? For
Whom? or For What? about
the subject and verb.
3) For whom does the subject, Daniel, fix computers? Daniel
fixes computers for his family.
**An indirect object may also come before the direct object.
Susan gave me her notes. (To whom did Susan give her notes?
me)
indirect object
