Direct Objects
A direct object is a noun, pronoun, or a group of words acting as a noun that receives
the action of the transitive (active) verb.
To find the direct object, locate the action verb and ask whom or what. (Note: If you
cannot find an answer to your questions, the verb is most likely intransitive.)
Direct objects in normal position (after the action verb)
1. We watched the liftoff.
We watched what? The liftoff
2. I invited her to the movie.
I invited whom? Her
3. I was watching the show until midnight
I was watching what? show
4. It taught me about gravity.
It taught whom? me
5. The meteor crashed into a planet. (NO direct object.)
The meteor crashed whom?...no answer
The meteor crashed what?.....no answer
Direct objects in questions (more than one in a sentence)
6. Which shuttle did you visit? (You may have to write the question with the
subject placed at the beginning in order to identify the direct object.)
You did visit which shuttle?
You visited what? shuttle
Compound direct objects
7. Buzz Aldrin explored the moon and outer space.
Buzz Aldrin explored what? moon and space
8. He copiloted Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 in space.
He copiloted what? Gemini 12, Apollo 11
Homework: page 422 Recognizing Direct Objects
Directions: Write the direct object (or underline it if you print out this form). If a sentence
has no direct object, write none.
Exercise 17
1. In college, Sally Ride studied physics and English.
2. Then, she applied to the astronaut-training program.
3. Ride earned a pilot’s license during training.
4. For her first flight, she rode in the shuttle Challenger.
5. On that mission, she launched two satellites.
6. She also launched and retrieved a test satellite.
7. Which shuttle mission did Ride fly for NASA?
8. Sally Ride earned the title First American Woman in Space.
9. While at NASA, she established the Office of Exploration.
10. Later, she produced a report on the future of the space program.
Exercise 18: Writing sentences With Direct Objects
Directions: Use each of the following as a direct object in a sentence.
(Hint: First write a subject and an action verb. Then ask “whom” or “what” and fill in the
blank with the word.)
(Hint: A direct object is never in a prepositional phrase.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Example: Mrs. Black asked her students to read chapter ten.
Asked whom? her students
Kim rented a movie for Saturday night.
Rented what? a movie
her students
____________________________________________________________
the movie
____________________________________________________________
the space shuttle
____________________________________________________________
astronaut
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NASA
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