Chapter 18.3: Direct Objects
Direct Objects:
Direct objects complete the meaning of a verb by receiving action from
them (421).
Key Concept: A direct object is a __________, ____________,
or __________ of _________ that receives the action of a transitive verb
(a verb that directs action to someone or something named in the sentence).
To find the direct object in a sentence, ask
________________ or _________________
after an action verb.
If you find no answer, the verb is intransitive and has no direct object.
Examples:
I was watching the show until midnight. (Was watching what? Answer:
show) Therefore, the direct object is show.
It taught me about gravity. (Taught whom? Answer: me) Me is the
direct object.
The meteor crashed into a planet. (Crashed what? Answer: none)
There is not a direct object in this sentence.
In some inverted questions, the direct object will appear near the beginning
of the sentence, before the verb. To locate the direct object in this type of
question, ________________ the question in normal word order.
INVERTED QUESTION: Which shuttle did you visit?
REWORDED: You did visit which shuttle? (Did visit what?
Answer: shuttle) The direct answer is shuttle.
A verb may have ___________ ___________ _______ direct object,
called a ________________ direct object. If a sentence contains a
compound direct object, asking Whom? Or What? After the action verb will
give you two or more answers.
Examples:
Buzz Aldrin explored the moon and outer space. (explored what?
Answer: moon, space)
He copiloted Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 in space. (copiloted what?
Answer: Gemini 12, Apollo 11)
In the second example, space is the _____________ of the
_________________ in.
An object of a preposition can ___________
be a direct object in a sentence! In other words,
the direct object is never found in a prepositional
phrase.
Exercise 17: Recognizing Direct Objects
Underline the subject once, underline the verb(s) twice and circle the direct
objects in the following sentences. If a sentence has no direct object, write none
after the sentence. Remember, ask WHOM? or WHAT? after the action verb.
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.