A noun or a pronoun.

Follows an action verb.

Receives the action of a verb.

A direct object can be

found by asking Whom? or
What? about an action verb.

A direct object can be found by asking

Whom? or What? about an action verb.
subject

action verb

Direct Object

The message reached the lawyer.

The message reached WHOM?

A direct object can be found by asking

Whom? or What? about an action verb.
subject

action verb

Direct Object

His landlord is raising the rent.

Is raising WHAT?

A direct object can be found by asking

Whom? or What? about an action verb.
subject

action
verb

DO

Marty and Carol served pie and

DO

ice cream for dessert.

Marty and Carol served

WHAT?

A direct object is never an adverb

or the object of a preposition.
D.O.

Joanne walked her dog.

Joanne walked briskly.

adverb

Prepositional phrase

Joanne walked to the store.

A noun or a pronoun.
Tells to whom or to what or for whom
or for what the action of the verb is
done.
subj.

action verb

direct obj.

Andy brought a flower.

subj.

Andy

action verb

brought

indirect obj

me

direct obj.

a flower.

A noun or a pronoun.
Tells to whom or to what or for whom or for what the
action of the verb is done.
subject

action verb

indirect object

direct object

Sarah showed the class her new glasses.

Sarah showed her new glasses to whom?

Jeff gave Caroline a chess set.

Jeff gave a chess set to whom?

Please Note

If there is an indirect
object, there must be a
direct object.

However, you can have a

direct object without
an indirect object.

**ONLY ACTION VERBS HAVE

INDIRECT OBJECTS and DIRECT
OBJECTS**
Linking verbs do NOT have indirect
objects or direct objects

Linking verb: Zachary was a silly boy.

Action verb: Zachary saw a silly boy.

An action verb with a

Direct Object
An action verb with NO direct
object or a linking verb
(linking verbs are ALWAYS intransitive
verbs)