We have learned that any complete sentence will have both a subject and a predicate. e.g. Principal Skinner cried.
This is a complete sentence because it has a subject, Principal Skinner, and a verb, cried.
We have also learned that any complete sentence will express a complete thought. In order to do this, a verb sometimes requires an object . e.g. Homer bought a box of doughnuts.
In this case, Homer is the subject and bought is the verb. This is not enough to form a complete sentence. We need to know what Homer bought. The answer to “what?” is called the DIRECT OBJECT of the verb.
e.g. Gertrude delivered an entertaining speech.
Subject =
Verb (action) =
Direct object =
Gertrude delivered speech ( an and entertaining are modifiers of the noun) e.g. The Canucks destroyed the Oilers by a score of 6-1.
Subject =
Verb =
Direct object =
________________
________________
________________

Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs
Verbs that require an object are called transitive verbs.
Eg. Fred met Henrik Sedin.
The ambassador found the courage to speak.
Verbs that do not require an object are intransitive verbs.
Eg. George yelled .
Ingrid fell down the stairs.
Linking Verbs: “To be or not to be”
Some verbs simply express a state of being. They tell that something exists rather than showing an action. These are called linking verbs .
Verb = e.g. Paul Martin is the Prime Minister.
Subject = Paul Martin is
Direct Object = (none)
The verb in this sentence (“ is
” – a form of to be ) expresses a state of being for the subject
( Paul Martin .) Because there is no action taking place, there is no object to receive the action.
e.g. Sally is a talented musician.
Bradley will be extremely unhappy.
Other linking verbs include
Be
Become
Look
Appear
Smell
Taste
Seem
Sound
Feel e.g. The water looks cold.
Matilda seems excited.
Beware!
Some verbs can be linking verbs in one case and transitive verbs in another. e.g. Archie feels sad today. linking verb
Archie feels the cloth on his jacket. cloth is direct object

e.g. Arnold gave Cheryl a diamond ring.
Camille made us a chocolate cake.
Ring and cake are direct objects. (gave what? – ring. Made what? – cake)
Cheryl and us are indirect objects (gave a ring to whom? – Cheryl. Made a dinner for whom? – us.)

Indirect objects appear only in sentences with direct objects.

Indirect objects are located between the verb and the direct object.
 Indirect objects do not follow the words ‘to’ or ‘for.’ e.g. Shelly passed a note to Jenny.
‘Note’ is the direct object, but Jenny is not the indirect object because a) it is not between the verb and the direct object b) it follows the word ‘to.’

A preposition is a word that shows a relationship (usually of space or time) between a noun or pronoun and another noun or pronoun. This second noun is called the
e.g.
James left before lunch.
The search party found the lost hikers in the forest.
Before and in are prepositions. Lunch and forest are their objects.
Prepositions always require objects.
The preposition plus its object and all the modifiers of the object is called the
.
Prepositional phrases always act as either adjectives or adverbs .
Notice the two prepositional phrases in the following example:
Several girls with torn jean jackets threw my hat into the river.
What are the objects of the two prepositions? ___________________
Is with torn jean jackets an adjective or adverb? __________________
Is into the river an adjective or adverb? __________________
Bonus: What is the direct object (object of the verb)? ____________________
Be aware of the difference between indirect objects and objects of prepositions. e.g.
Sheila gave me her textbooks.
Brenda saved the last chocolate bar for me.