Direct and Indirect Objects

In a sentence, what is the main job of a direct object?

• To show who or what receives the action of the verb

• To describe the subject of the sentence

• To connect the subject to another noun or adjective

• To tell when or where the action happened

Answer explanation

A direct object is a noun or pronoun that answers the question 'what?' or 'whom?' after an action verb. The other options describe adverbs, subject complements, or linking verbs.

True or False: An indirect object can exist in a sentence without a direct object.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

An indirect object only exists if there is a direct object to be received. The indirect object answers 'to whom/for whom' or 'to what/for what' the action was done.

Complete the sentence with the best direct object: After practice, the coach bought __________.

• for the team

• everyone pizza

• was very generous

• quickly

Answer explanation

The phrase 'everyone pizza' contains the direct object 'pizza' (what was bought) and the indirect object 'everyone'. The other options are a prepositional phrase, a linking verb phrase, or an adverb.

My dad is teaching me how to drive. In this sentence, what is the indirect object?

• My dad

• me

• how to drive

• is teaching

Answer explanation

The indirect object is 'me' because it answers the question 'to whom is he teaching?'. The direct object is the clause 'how to drive'.

Which question helps you find the indirect object in a sentence?

• Verb + who/what?

• Who or what is doing the action?

• Verb + to whom/for whom?

• Is/are + what?

Answer explanation

To find the indirect object, you ask 'to whom/for whom' or 'to what/for what' after the action verb. Asking 'Verb + who/what?' helps you find the direct object.

True or False: In the sentence 'She sent a package to her cousin,' the word 'cousin' is an indirect object.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

In this sentence, 'cousin' is the object of the preposition 'to'. For it to be an indirect object, the sentence would need to be rewritten as 'She sent her cousin a package.'

Complete the sentence with a compound indirect object: The guide showed _______________ the secret path.

• the hikers and me

• the hikers and I

• to the hikers and me

• the secret path

Answer explanation

'The hikers and me' functions as the compound indirect object, receiving the direct object 'path'. The pronoun 'I' is subjective case and cannot be an object, and 'to the hikers and me' is a prepositional phrase.

Which sentence contains a direct object and NOT a subject complement?

• The new video game looks awesome.

• My friend is a talented artist.

• That music sounds very loud.

• My friend designed a cool logo.

Answer explanation

This sentence has an action verb ('designed') followed by a direct object ('logo'). The other sentences use linking verbs ('looks', 'is', 'sounds') followed by subject complements ('awesome', 'artist', 'loud').

Complete the sentence to correctly follow the S-V-IO-DO pattern: For her birthday, I made ___________.

• a cake for my sister

• my sister a cake

• for my sister a cake

• a cake was made

Answer explanation

This option follows the Subject-Verb-Indirect Object-Direct Object pattern (I-made-sister-cake). 'A cake for my sister' uses a prepositional phrase instead of an indirect object.

Which sentence correctly uses a compound direct object?

• I need my phone and my keys.

• She walked and talked with her friend.

• He will be late for school and practice.

• They read quietly in the library.

Answer explanation

The verb 'need' has two direct objects, 'phone' and 'keys', joined by 'and'. The other sentences contain compound verbs, compound objects of a preposition, or adverbs, not compound direct objects.