A noun or a pronoun.
Follows an action verb.
Receives the action of a verb.

A direct object can be found by asking
Whom?
or
What?
about an action verb.
subject action verb
Direct Object
The message reached the lawyer.
The message reached WHOM?

A direct object can be found by asking
Whom?
or
What?
about an action verb.
subject action verb
Direct Object
His landlord is raising the rent.
Is raising WHAT ?

A direct object can be found by asking
Whom?
or
What?
about an action verb.
action subject verb
DO
Marty and Carol served pie and
Marty and Carol served
WHAT ?

A direct object is never an adverb or the object of a preposition.
D.O.
Joanne walked her dog.
adverb
Joanne walked briskly.
Prepositional phrase
Joanne walked to the store.

A noun or a pronoun.
Tells to whom or to what or for whom or for what the action of the verb is done.
subj.
action verb direct obj.
Andy brought a flower.
subj.
action verb indirect obj direct obj.
Andy brought me a flower.

A noun or a pronoun.
Tells to whom or to what or for whom or for what the action of the verb is done.
subject action verb indirect object direct object
Sarah showed the class her new glasses.
Sarah showed her new glasses to whom ?
Jeff gave Caroline a chess set.
Jeff gave a chess set to whom ?

Please Note…
If there is an indirect object, there must be a direct object.

**ONLY ACTION VERBS HAVE
INDIRECT OBJECTS and DIRECT
OBJECTS**
Linking verbs do NOT have indirect objects or direct objects
Linking verb: Zachary was a silly boy.
Action verb: Zachary saw a silly boy.

An action verb with a
Direct Object
An action verb with NO direct object or a linking verb
(linking verbs are ALWAYS intransitive verbs)