Verb Complements
I. Direct and Indirect Objects
Action verbs often take a DIRECT OBJECT and INDIRECT OBJECT.
**Objects are always nouns or pronouns.
A. A DIRECT OBJECT= answers the question whom or what receives
the action?
 Fran passed the ball. (passed what? the ball)
 The man delivered candy and toys. (delivered what? candy and
toys)
 She sent the children away. (sent whom? children)
 She felt bad about leaving. (NO d.o. Felt is a linking verb. Bad is
not a noun—it’s an adjective.)
B. An INDIRECT OBJECT= answers the question to whom or to what
or for who or for what??
*IT ALWAYS comes between the verb and the direct object.
 Fran passed John the ball. (passed ball to John)
 The man gave the children candy. (gave candy to children)
 She sent the children postcards. (gave postcards to children)
NOTE: Direct and indirect objects are NEVER found inside
prepositional phrases
 She sent the postcards to the children. (to the children is a
prepositional phrases; children is object of the preposition)