OBJECTS OF VERBS
Here’s the Idea:
 Action verbs often require complements called direct objects
and indirect objects to complete their meaning.
Direct Objects
A direct object is a word or a group of words that receives the
action of an action verb. It answers the question what or whom
The climber caught. (Caught what? Or whom?)
The climber caught the nylon rope.
Indirect Objects
An indirect object tells to what, to whom, for what, or for whom an
action is done. Verbs that often take indirect objects induce bring,
give, hand, lend, make, send, show, teach, tell, and write.
The rescue team gives hot food. (Gives food to or for whom?)
The rescue team gives (to) the survivors hot food.
The indirect object is
usually between the
verb and direct object.
HERE’S HOW: Finding Direct and Indirect Objects
The survivors told me their dramatic story
1. Find the action verb in the sentence.
Told
2. To find the direct object, ask told what
Told the story
3. To find the indirect object, ask told the story to or for whom.
Told (to) me the story
Practice and Apply
Each sentence below contains at least one complement. Identify
each complement as a direct object (DO) or an indirect object (IO).
1. British surveyors calculated the height of Peak XV.
2. In 1865 geographers gave Mount Everest its current name.
3. Irvine lent Mallory a hand in their 1924 expedition.
4. Unfortunately, a sudden ice storm overcame the explorers.
5. In 1953, Hillary and Tenzing showed the world their talents.
6. They conquered the summit of Mount Everest.
7. In 1963, Hornbein and Unsoeld scaled the West Ridge.
8. Their feat earned them praise from professional climbers.
9. On a 1996 expedition fierce blizzards killed 8 climbers.
10.
Mount Everest still offers climbers a true challenge.