Object 

What is the Object?

This is usually a noun phrase, i.e. a group of words built around a noun or a pronoun. The object answers the question:

• finite verb + whom?
  or
• finite verb + what?

as in these examples:

• The teacher praised the student . (praised whom?—Answer: the student)
• Mohan eats mangoes . (eats what?—Answer: mangoes)

The student and mangoes are the objects in the above sentences.

A verb may be followed by an object that completes the verb's meaning.

Some verbs have an object (always a noun or pronoun). The object is the person or thing affected by the action described in the verb.

Direct and Indirect Objects

Objects come in two types, direct and indirect .

The direct object refers to a person or thing affected by the action of the verb.

For example:

"He opened the door . "- here the door is the direct object as it is the thing being affected by the verb to open.

The indirect object refers to a person or thing who receives the direct object.

For example:

" I gave him the book." - here him (he) is the indirect object as he is the beneficiary of the action.

To determine if a verb has a direct object , isolate the verb and make it into a question by placing "whom?" or "what?" after it. The answer, if there is one, is the direct object:

Direct Object:

The advertising executive drove a flashy red Porsche .

Direct Object:

Her secret admirer gave her a bouquet of flowers .

The second sentence above also contains an indirect object .

An indirect object (which, like a direct object, is always a noun or pronoun ) is, in a sense, the recipient of the direct object.

To determine if a verb has an indirect object, isolate the verb and ask to whom? , to what? , for whom? , or for what? after it. The answer is the indirect object.

Not all verbs are followed by objects. Consider the verbs in the following sentences:

• The guest speaker rose from her chair to protest.
• After work, Randy usually jogs around the canal.