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The Direct Object: Recognize A Direct Object When You See One

The document discusses how to identify and use direct objects in sentences. A direct object receives the action of a transitive verb and can be a noun, pronoun, phrase, or clause. To identify the direct object, use the formula: subject + verb + what/who? The direct object answers the what or who after the verb. Examples are provided to demonstrate direct objects following verbs, verbals like infinitives and gerunds, and how not to confuse direct objects with subject complements. The document also notes that objective pronouns, not subject pronouns, should be used for direct objects.

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73 views2 pages

The Direct Object: Recognize A Direct Object When You See One

The document discusses how to identify and use direct objects in sentences. A direct object receives the action of a transitive verb and can be a noun, pronoun, phrase, or clause. To identify the direct object, use the formula: subject + verb + what/who? The direct object answers the what or who after the verb. Examples are provided to demonstrate direct objects following verbs, verbals like infinitives and gerunds, and how not to confuse direct objects with subject complements. The document also notes that objective pronouns, not subject pronouns, should be used for direct objects.

Uploaded by

nguyenthikieuvan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Direct Object

Recognize a direct object when you see one.


A direct object will follow a transitive verb [a type ofaction verb]. Direct objects can
be nouns, pronouns,phrases, or clauses. If you can identify the subject andverb in a sentence,
then finding the direct objectif one existsis easy. Just remember this simple formula:
Subject + Verb + what? or who? = Direct Object
Here are examples of the formula in action:
Zippy and Maurice played soccer with a grapefruit pulled from a backyard tree.
Zippy, Maurice = subjects; played = verb. Zippy and Maurice played what? Soccer =
direct object.
Zippy accidentally kicked Maurice in the shin.
Zippy = subject; kicked = verb. Zippy kickedwho? Maurice = direct object.
Sometimes direct objects are single words like soccer andMaurice; other times they are phrases
or clauses. The formula nevertheless works the same.
Sylina hates biting her fingernails.
Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hateswhat? Biting her fingernails [a gerund phrase] =
direct object.
Even worse, Sylina hates when Mom lectures her about hand care.
Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hateswhat? When Mom lectures her about hand
care [a subordinate clause] = direct object.
Direct objects can also follow verbalsinfinitives,gerunds, and participles. Use this
abbreviated version of the formula:
verbal + what? or who? = direct object
Here are some examples:
To see magnified blood cells, Gus squinted into the microscope on the lab table.
To see = infinitive. To see what? Blood cells = direct object.
Gus bought contact lenses because he wanted to see the beautiful Miranda, his lab
partner, more clearly.
To see = infinitive. To see who? The beautiful Miranda = direct object.
Dragging her seventy-five pound German shepherd through the door is Roseanne's least
favorite part of going to the vet.
Dragging = gerund. Dragging what? Her seventy-five pound German shepherd = direct
object.
Heaping his plate with fried chicken, Clyde winked at Delores, the cook.
Heaping = participle. Heaping what? His plate= direct object.

Don't mistake a direct object for a subject


complement.

Only action verbs can have direct objects. If the verb is linking, then the word that answers
the what? or who?question is a subject complement.
The space alien from the planet Zortek accidentally locked his keys in his space ship.
Alien = subject; locked = action verb. The space alien locked what? His keys = direct
object.
The space alien was happy to find a spare key taped under the wing.
Alien = subject; was = linking verb. The space alien was what? Happy = subject
complement.

Don't use subject pronouns as direct objects.


The chart below contains subject and object pronouns. Because direct objects are objects, always
use the objective form of the pronoun when you need a direct object.
Subject Pronouns

Object Pronouns

I
we
you
he, she, it
they
who

me
us
you
him, her, it
them
whom

Check out these sample sentences:


After I give my dog Oreo a scoop of peanut butter, she always kisses me with her sticky
tongue.
She = subject; kisses = verb. She kisses who? Me= direct object.
Because Jo had skipped Mr. Duncan's class five times in a row, she ducked out of sight
whenever she spotted him on campus.
She = subject; spotted = verb. She spotted who?Him = direct object.
Because David was always eating her food, Theresa sneaked corn chips and candy bars
into her room and hid them in the clothes hamper.
Theresa = subject; hid = verb. Theresa hidwhat? Them = direct object.

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