Direct / Indirect Object
Provided by the Academic Center for Excellence 1 Reviewed March 2010
Direct / Indirect Object
In a sentence, the subject and verb may be followed by an object. An object is a noun or
pronoun that gives meaning to the subject and verb of the sentence. Not all sentences
contain objects, but some may contain one or more. There are two kinds of objects within a
sentence: direct and indirect objects.
I. A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a verb.
Daniel repairs computers.
direct object
Try this technique when determining the location of the direct object in the above
sentence:
1) First locate the subject and verb in the sentence. The subject in the above sentence
is “Daniel” and the verb is “repairs.”
2) Now ask yourself the questions What? or Whom? about the verb “repairs.”
3) What does the subject,
Daniel
, repair? Daniel repairs computers.
II. An indirect object is the noun or pronoun for whom the action is done. The
indirect object can be located between the action verb and the direct object within a
sentence.
Daniel gave me a computer.
indirect object
1) First locate the subject (Daniel) and the verb (gave).
2) Now ask yourself the questions To Whom? To What? For Whom? or For What? about
the subject and verb.
3) To whom does the subject,
Daniel
, give a computer? Daniel gave me a computer.
Susan gave me her notes. (To whom did Susan give her notes? me)
indirect object