Direct and Indirect
Objects
Reminders…
Subject: performs the action of
the sentence.
Verb: is the action of the
sentence.
Direct Objects:
A direct object is a
noun or pronoun
that receives the
action of a
transitive action
verb.
Examples
To find the direct object ask:
“What?” or “Whom?” OR
“For What?” or “For Whom?”
of the verb.
 The old man chewed his food.
Chewed what?
 The dog dug a hole under the fence.
 Alexander the Great conquered
leaders in most of ancient Europe.
Dug what?
Conquered
what?
Identify the Direct Objects in
the following sentences.
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Tommy caught the flu and is at home sick.
My teacher wanted my essay.
The Seahawks played an amazing game in
spite of their loss Monday night.
After class, I wrote a note.
The young girl scouts sold cookies and
drinks at the football game.
Indirect Objects:
An indirect object is a
noun or pronoun that
indirectly receives the
action of a transitive
action verb. It names
the person to whom or
for whom something is
done.
Examples
To find the indirect object ask:
“To Who?” or “To Whom?” OR
“For Who? or “For Whom?
of the direct object.
 After class I wrote her a note.
Wrote what?
To whom?
 My cousin brought us freshly picked
Brought what?
vegetables.
For who?
 Loud music gives my brother
headaches.
Gives what?
To whom?
Identify the Indirect Objects in
the following sentences.
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Hannah sent me an email.
Caroline baked her family double-fudge
brownies.
Ben’s sister made the team a pitcher of
lemonade.
I gave the dog a dish of water.
Johnny Depp gave me his autograph.
Danger Will Robinson!
When the indirect object follows a preposition, it
becomes the object of the preposition, and is no
longer considered an indirect object.
Example:
Indirect Object
Example:
Prepositional Phrase
After class I wrote her a note.
After class I wrote a note to her.
Since it follows the preposition to,
it is the object of the preposition
and NOT an indirect object.
Question: Indirect Object or
Object of the Preposition?
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Walker gave the bone to the dog.
OP
I tutored my sister for her math test. OP
On Thanksgiving, my mother prepared us IO
a feast.
On Halloween, my family gave candy to OP
the neighborhood children.
The middle school sent the shelter five IO
hundred cans of food.
Transitive Verbs
Verbs which transfer their action to an
object. In other words, transitive verbs
have a direct object.
Note: For a sentence to have an indirect object, it
must always have a direct object, but a sentence
can have a direct object without an indirect
object.
Intransitive Verbs
Verb that completes its action without an object.
Examples:
 I apologized for my late assignment.
 assignment is the object of the preposition for; there is
no direct object.
 I explained about my sore toe.
 toe is the object of the preposition about; there is no
direct object
Remember…
Since a linking verb does not express an action, it
is intransitive.
Apologies are wonderful. (Predicate Adjective)
My explanation was a failure. (Predicate Noun)