Direct object
A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb directly. It answers the question "what" or "whom" after a transitive verb (a verb that can take a direct object).
Direct object examples
Here are a couple of examples of direct objects in sentences.
She ate the cake.
In this sentence, "cake" is the direct object because it receives the action of the verb "ate." You can ask "What did she eat?" and the answer is "the cake."
He threw the ball to her.
Here, "ball" is the direct object because it receives the action of the verb "threw." You can ask "What did he throw?" and the answer is "the ball."
Indirect object
An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that receives the direct object or for whom the action is done. It usually comes before the direct object and answers the question "to whom" or "for whom" or "to what" after certain verbs. Not all sentences have indirect objects.
Indirect object examples
Here are some examples of indirect objects in sentences.
She gave me a gift.
In this sentence, "me" is the indirect object because it tells us who received the direct object "gift." You can ask "To whom did she give the gift?" and the answer is "me."
He sent a letter to his friend.
Here, "his friend" is the indirect object because he receives the direct object "letter." You can ask "To whom did he send the letter?" and the answer is "his friend."
Some verbs only have direct objects, while others only have indirect objects. Some verbs can have both direct and indirect objects, and the order of the objects can vary in the sentence.
Direct and indirect object worksheets
In our grade 5 grammar section we have a couple of pages of worksheets for students to practice identifying direct and indirect objects in sentences.
Direct object worksheets
In these worksheets students identify the verbs and their direct objects.
Direct and indirect object worksheets
These worksheets ask students to identify the direct and indirect objects in sentences.
