Direct Objects

Direct Objects

a noun or pronoun that receives the action done by the subject

Number 1 Rule for Direct Objects

Becuase a direct object receives the action, a sentence can ONLY have a direct object IF there is an action verb.

If there is a linking verb in a sentence...

there will be NO direct object.

Multiple Choice

True or false? In order for a sentence to have a direct object, there must be an action verb in the sentence.

• true

• false

There is a formula for you to use to figure out if a sentence has a direct object.

• Find the subject and the verb. If the verb is an action, you MAY have a direct object.

• Say the subject and the action verb and then the word what or who.

• If you have an answer to either the question what? or who? you have a direct object.

• Remember: Just like subjects and verbs, direct objects will NEVER be inside of prepositional phrases.

Example: Toby threw his keys across the room.

The verb is threw. The subject is Toby.

Toby + threw what? Keys!

The word keys is the direct object. It receives the action done by the subject.

Multiple Choice

Which word is the direct object in the following sentence?

Jasmine punched the wall in her room.

• Jasmine

• punched

• wall

• room

Multiple Choice

The teacher pointed her finger at the math problem.

What is the direct object in this sentence?

Remember, say subject + verb WHAT?

• teacher

• pointed

• finger

• problem

Sometimes, you may have to ask who instead of what.

Example: My mom pinched me on the cheek.

In this sentence, the verb is pinched. The subject is mom. You would say mom pinched who? me

Multiple Choice

Let's try a sentence where you have to ask who instead of what to find the direct object.

Matthew tagged Jamear in the game of tag.

• Matthew

• tagged

• Jamear

• tag

Not all sentences with action verbs have direct objects. You will have to use the formula to see if a sentence does.

He walked into the room.

In this sentence, the subject is he and the verb is walked.

But, when you ask he walked what? you do not have an answer for what. You have an answer for where.

Remember, direct objects will not be inside of prepositional phrases.

Multiple Select

Choose the sentences that have direct objects.

• Mr. Brown tossed the pencil.

• My dog chewed on the bone.

• The kids ate the lemon cookies.

• He walked slowly.

My mom drove slowly down the road.

This sentence does NOT have a direct object. When you try the formula mom drove what? You don't get an answer for what, you get an answer for how.

Remember, direct objects must answer the questions what or who.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following sentences has a direct object?

• The cat ran around the room.

• My dog slept on the pillow.

• She talked quickly.

• She enjoyed the cake.

There is also something called an indirect object.

Indirect objects are rare. You can read an entire paragraph, and not see a single one in a sentence.

Number one rule for indirect objects.

A sentence will not have an indirect object unless there is a direct object. So, if there is not a direct object in the sentence, there can absolutely NOT be an indirect object.

Just like with direct objects, there is a formula to find an indirect object.

Indirect objects answer the question to whom or for whom.

CJ threw Tyler the football.

First, complete the formula to find the direct object.

CJ threw what? football

Now, ask to whom? If you have an answer, you have an indirect object.

The indirect object in this sentence is Tyler.

Multiple Choice

My mom gave me candy. What is the indirect object in this sentence?

• mom

• gave

• me

• candy

Multiple Choice

Maggie baked her brother a plateful of cookies.

What is the indirect object in this sentence?

• Maggie

• baked

• brother

• plateful

Remember, indirect objects are rare.

Don't expect to see a lot of sentences with indirect objects.

He opened the door for her.

In this sentence, the direct object is door.

There is no indirect object. The word her is in a preposiional phrase.

Direct and indirect objects will never be inside prepositional phrases.

One last thing.

Direct objects and Indirect Objects will ALWAYS be either nouns or pronouns.

Can you find them in the following sentences?

My teacher collects seashells.

Her sister painted her room.

I love him.

Mateo invited Josh and me.