Table of Contents
Introduction
In grammar, direct and indirect objects are elements of the sentence structure. in this article, we will shed light on these entities. We will define them and illustrate them with examples.
Let’s get started with the definition of direct and indirect objects.
What is an object?
An object in grammar is a part of a sentence, and often part of the predicate. It refers to someone or something involved in the subject‘s “performance” of the verb. It is what the verb is being done to. As an example, the following sentence is given:
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Leila | wrote | the poem |
Let’s break this down:
- “Leila” is the subject, the doer or performer,
- “wrote” is a verb that refers to the action,
- “the poem” is the object involved in the action.
Direct And Indirect Object
Before discussing direct and indirect objects, let’s first understand what verb transitivity means because it is crucial to this topic.
Transitive and intransitive verbs
A verb can be classified as transitive or intransitive according to whether it takes or doesn’t take an object:
- If a verb takes objects, then it is a transitive verb.
- Examples:
- They played soccer. (The verb play takes ONE object “soccer“)
- They sent him a postcard. (The verb send takes TWO objects “him” and “a postcard“)
- Examples:
- If a verb doesn’t take an object, then it is an intransitive verb.
- Examples:
- She lies. (The verb “lie” doesn’t take any object)
- The building collapsed. (The verb “collapse” doesn’t take any object)
- Examples:
Types of objects
There are two types of objects: direct and indirect objects:
Direct object
A direct object answers the questions “what?” or “who?” regarding the action.
Examples:
- David repaired his car → His car is the direct object of the verb “repaired” (What did David repair?).
- He invited Mary to the party → Mary is the direct object of the verb “invited” (Who did he invite?).
Indirect Object
An indirect object answers questions like “to whom?” or “for whom?” It is the recipient of the direct object or another affected participant.
Examples:
- They sent him a postcard → Him is the indirect object of the verb “sent” (To whom did they send a postcard?).
- He bought his son a bike → His son is the indirect object of the verb “bought” (For whom did he buy a bike?).
An important note:
An indirect object cannot exist without a direct object; they are interdependent.
For the sake of illustrating this point, let’s consider an example:
- Incorrect: “She gifted him.” *
In this sentence, “him” is the indirect object, but there is no direct object to complete the construction. In proper English grammar, a sentence like this would be considered incomplete or incorrect. To be grammatically accurate, a direct object must be included, such as “She gifted him a book.”
Lesson Summary
Here is a table summarizing the lesson:
| Concept | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Object | A part of a sentence, often part of the predicate, representing someone or something affected by the verb’s action. | Leila wrote the poem |
| Transitive Verb | A verb that takes one or more objects. | They played soccer. They sent him a postcard. |
| Intransitive Verb | A verb that doesn’t take any objects. | She lies. The building collapsed. |
| Direct Object | Answers the questions “what?” or “who?” regarding the action. | David repaired his car → his car He invited Mary to the party → Mary |
| Indirect Object | Answers “to whom?” or “for whom?” and is the recipient of the direct object or an otherwise affected participant. | They sent him a postcard → him He bought his son a bike → his son |
| Dependency Relationship | An indirect object cannot exist without a direct object. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, direct and indirect objects enhance our ability to articulate precise meanings within sentences. Direct objects, answer the question “what?” or “who?” Indirect objects answer questions like “to whom?” or “for whom?”
More about direct and indirect objects here.
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