Lesson 109 - Parts of the Sentence - Direct Object

View lesson on Daily Grammar

 

A direct object receives the action performed by the subject. The verb used with a direct object is always an action verb. Another way of saying it is that the subject does the verb to the direct object. 

 

To find the direct object, say the subject and verb followed by whom or what. If nothing answers the question whom or what, you know that there is no direct object.

 

     Example: 

     The car hit the tree. 

     The car hit whom or what? 

     Tree answers the question, so tree is the direct object.

     The car hit the tree. 

     Example: 

     The car sped past.

     The car sped whom or what?

     Nothing answers the question, so the sentence has no direct object.

The direct object must be a noun or pronoun. A direct object will never be in a prepositional phrase. The direct object will not equal the subject as the predicate nominative, nor does it have a linking verb as a predicate nominative sentences does.

Direct objects may be compound. 

     Example:

     The car hit the tree and the fence.

     The car hit whom or what?

     Tree and fence answer the question, so tree and fence are the direct objects.

     The car hit the tree and the fence.

A sentence may have a compound verb with one direct object for both verbs. 

     Example: 

     The man mowed and raked the lawn. 

     The lawn received the action of being both mowed and raked by the man.

 

A sentence with a compound verb may have two different direct objects in it. 

 

     Example: 

     The dog ate the meat and drank some water. 

     The direct object for the verb ate is meat. 

     The direct object for the verb drank is water. 

     The dog didn't drink the meat or eat the water.

Instructions: Find the subjects, verbs, and direct objects in these sentences.

1. The football player changed his clothes and took a shower.

2. The speaker read his speech and answered some questions.

3. The carpenter fixed the door and painted the house.

4. The little girl played the piano and sang a song.

5. My neighbor mowed his lawn and watered the flowers.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. player = subject / changed = verb / clothes = direct object // took = verb / shower = direct object

2. speaker = subject / read = verb / speech = direct object // answered = verb / questions = direct object

3. carpenter = subject / fixed = verb / door = direct object // painted = verb / house = direct object

4. girl = subject / played = verb / piano = direct object // sang = verb / song = direct object

5. neighbor= subject / mowed = verb / lawn = direct object // watered = verb / flowers = direct object

Next Lesson
 

For your convenience, all of our lessons are available on our website in our lesson archive. Our lessons are also available to purchase in an eBook and a workbook format.