Lesson 3: The Direct Object, Indirect Object, and Objective Complement

Definition

A direct object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that tells who or what receives the action of the verb or that shows the result of the action. Two or more direct objects that complete the meaning of the same action verb are called a compound direct object.

Explanation

Direct objects answer the questions Whom? or What? after an action verb; they are the receivers of the action. A sentence can have more than one direct object, creating a compound direct object. Be aware that a direct object can sometimes appear at the beginning of a sentence, before the verb.

Examples

• The mechanic inspected several cars before the race. [Inspected what? Inspected cars. Cars is the direct object.]
• Maria ordered the pizza and the soda. [Ordered what? Ordered pizza and soda. Pizza and soda form the compound direct object.]
• What an amazing song she sang! [Sang what? Sang a song. Song is the direct object.]

Definition

An indirect object is a noun, pronoun, or word group that precedes a direct object and tells to whom or to what (or for whom or for what) the action of the verb is done. Two or more indirect objects of the same action verb are called a compound indirect object.

Explanation

Indirect objects answer the questions To whom/what? or For whom/what? an action was performed. They always appear before the direct object. A key rule to remember is that an indirect object is never found inside a prepositional phrase; if you see the words 'to' or 'for' before the noun, it's an object of a preposition, not an indirect object.

Examples

• The company offered the new employee a better salary. [Offered a salary to whom? To the employee. Employee is the indirect object.]
• The coach gave Leo and Mia new uniforms. [Gave uniforms to whom? To Leo and Mia. Leo and Mia form the compound indirect object.]
• The librarian found a book for the student. [Here, student is the object of the preposition for, not an indirect object.]

Definition

An objective complement is a word or word group that helps complete the meaning of a transitive verb by identifying or modifying the direct object.

Explanation

An objective complement follows a direct object to provide more information about it. It either renames the direct object (if it's a noun) or describes it (if it's an adjective). Think of the sentence as an equation: Subject + Verb + Direct Object = Objective Complement, like in the sentence We elected her president.

Examples

• The committee named Sarah chairperson. [The noun chairperson identifies the direct object, Sarah.]
• We painted the old fence brown. [The adjective brown modifies the direct object, fence.]
• I consider this victory ours. [The possessive pronoun ours modifies the direct object, victory.]