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.

action
subject verb DO DO
Marty and Carol served pie and 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.
adverb
Joanne walked briskly.
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. action verb indirect obj direct obj.
Andy brought me 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)