Direct and Indirect Objects

What are they?

An object often follows the subject and verb in a sentence. By definition, an object is a
noun or pronoun that gives meaning to the subject and the verb in a sentence. There are
two types of objects: direct and indirect.

Direct objects

Direct objects are nouns, pronouns, clauses and phrases. Direct objects follow transitive
verbs (action verbs that require something or someone to receive the action). You can
identify the direct object by using this simple formula: subject + verb + who? or what? =
DIRECT OBJECT. Try using this formula to determine the direct object as you consider the
following example:

Example 1: Dennis and Susan ate omelets for breakfast.

The subject is “Dennis and Susan,” and the verb is “ate.” Next ask yourself the question
“who or what?” about the verb “ate.” What did the subject, Dennis and Susan, eat? They
ate omelets. Therefore, the direct object is “omelets.”

Consider the following example to find the direct object that follows a clause or phrase:

Example 2: Sophia hates when her father lectures her about her grades.

The subject is “Sophia,” and the verb is “hates.” Next ask yourself the question “who or
what?” about the verb “hates.” What does the subject, Sophia, hate? She hates “when her
father lectures her about her grades.” This subordinate clause (a combination of words
that contain a subject and a verb, but do not form a complete sentence) is the direct
object of the sentence.

Indirect objects

Indirect objects are nouns or pronouns that identify to whom or for whom the action of
the verb is performed, as well as who is receiving the direct object. Indirect objects are
seen infrequently. In order to have an indirect object, there is a direct object. The indirect
object typically precedes the direct object and is identified by asking who or what received
the direct object. Consider the following examples:

Example 1: Samuel sent his aunt a postcard from Martha’s Vineyard.

“Samuel” is the subject, and “sent” is the verb. Ask the question “sent what?” “A
postcard” is the direct object. To determine the indirect object, ask who received the
direct object. “His aunt” is the indirect object.

Example 2: Marc paints the house for his family.

“Marc” is the subject, and “paints” is the verb. Ask the question “paints what?” “The
house” is the direct object. To determine the indirect object, ask for whom did the subject
do the action? “For his family” is the indirect object.

Sometimes an indirect object comes before the direct object. Consider the following
example:

Example 3: Alexa gave me her algebra notes.

“Alexa” is the subject, and “gave” is the verb. Ask the question “gave what?” “Algebra
notes” is the direct object. To determine the indirect object, ask for whom did the subject
do the action? “Me” is the indirect object, and it came before the direct object in this
sentence.