Direct & Indirect Objects

Recognizing Direct Objects

Direct Object 

This indicates the sentence's object: the person or thing involved in the action and a response to  what or who questions. 

Subject + Action + Direct Object

Lucas kicks the ball

Lucas kicks the ball

• Who is the sentence's subject?: Lucas

• What is he doing?: He is kicking something.

• What does he kick?: He kicks a ball.

• In this order of ideas, ball is the direct object because it is receiving the action.

More Examples:

• Sasha paints landscapes.

• Shannon loves traveling to Europe.

• The teacher explained the rules.

• The company is considering my proposal.

• Tina ate apples and bananas.

Indirect Object 

It is the recipient of the direct object. It answers the questions to whom, for whom, or for what. For example:

Subject + Action + Indirect Object + Direct Object

Marcy gave to her mother a painting

Marcy gave to her mother a painting

• Who's the subject?: Marcy

• What action did Marcy do?: She "gave" something. 

• What did she give?: A painting 

Multiple Choice

True or False: A direct object receives the action from the verb.

• true
• false

Multiple Choice

Is the highlighted word a subject, verb or direct object?
The boy threw the ball to second base.

• subject
• action verb
• adjective

Multiple Choice

Is the highlighted word a subject, verb or direct object?
 My mom cooked a huge breakfast for us on Saturday morning.

• subject
• verb
• adjective

Multiple Choice

Identify the direct object: 
 The dog jumped the fence in one leap.

• jumped
• leap
• fence
• dog

Multiple Choice

Direct Object: Haymitch Abernathy made balloon animals, and his friend told jokes. 

• made, told 
• balloon animals, jokes 
• told 
• made

Multiple Choice

Verb: Gale Hawthorne wrote a book, and his cousin drew the pictures. 

• Gale Hawthorne
• the pictures 
• wrote, drew
• a book 

Multiple Choice

Which word is the direct object?
Mark, Anne, and Natosha ate dinner at the new Chinese restaurant.

• restaurant
• Chinese
• ate
• dinner

Multiple Choice

Which type of verb does a direct object follow?

• Action
• Linking

Multiple Choice

Which two questions does a direct object answer?

• Where?  Why?
• Whom? What?
• Time?  Location?
• When? Where?

Multiple Choice

Lauren played her violin beautifully. What is the direct object?

• Lauren

• violin

• beautifully

Multiple Choice

Which word in the sentence is an indirect object?

She told them about her plans.

• She

• told

• them

• plans

Multiple Choice

Which word in the sentence is an indirect object?

The old man gave the dog a bone.

• man

• gave

• the dog

• bone

Multiple Choice

Which word in the sentence is an indirect object?

They offered me money.

• They

• offered

• me

• money

Multiple Choice

What questions do indirect objects answer?

• to whom/for whom
• what
• why
• how

Multiple Choice

Kaden helped Mrs. Bell before school. What is the direct object?

• Kaden

• Mrs. Bell

• school

Multiple Choice

Reece created his own Pokemon. What is the direct object?

• Reece

• created

• Pokemom

Multiple Choice

David ate ice cream after school. What is the direct object?

• ice cream

• after

• school

Multiple Choice

Jackson ran laps because he got in trouble. What is the direct object?

• ran

• laps

• trouble

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object in the following sentence?
"The company promises its employees annual pay increases."

• company
• pay increases
• promises
• employees

Multiple Choice

What is the direct object in the following sentence?
"Ms. Nishimura served her guest a traditional meal."

• meal
• Ms. Nishimura
• served
• guest

Multiple Choice

What is the direct object in the following sentence?
"The eager salesperson sold the couple a new car."

• couple
• car
• salesperson
• sold

Multiple Choice

What is the indirect object in the following sentence?
"Kareem gave the crowd a big smile."

• Kareem
• gave
• crowd
• smile