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Direct Objects in English (Meaning & Examples)

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Direct Object

Direct Object

In English Grammar, the direct object of a sentence is an object that received the action of the verb. word or phrase that receives the action of the verb is called Direct object. In a sentence, the direct object is the noun or noun phrase that’s receiving the action of the verb. The basic construction is Subject + Verb + Who or What. Now, have a look at the definitions of a direct object, kinds of a direct object and examples of direct objects given below.

Example:

The boys played the game. 

In this, the direct object is the “game”. “Played” is the verb and “game” was being played. 
So, there might be confusion between Indirect and Direct objects as both are closely related. This article will give you complete information about the direct objects with plenty of examples to make you clear everything about it.

What is a Direct Object?

The Direct object is the main thing in the sentence that is being acted upon.   

Example 1. Ram threw the ball. Here “ball” is the direct object as it is being acted upon, it is being thrown by Ram. 
Thus, to put it in another word “A direct object is a noun that receives the action of the verb.”

Let’s see another example!

Example 2. The guitarist played the guitar.
Here, “the guitar” is the direct object. And if you will notice, direct object answers whom or what most of the time. In the above example, it is answering “what”. 
The guitarist played what? Answer:  Guitar. 
So, to put it in a grammatically correct way, ask yourself 
what was being played by a guitarist? Answer: Guitar.

Example 3. The father scolded me. 
The father scolded whom—”an informal way to ask”, but the answer is “ME” which is the direct object.
So, to put it in grammatically correct way, ask yourself 
Whom did the father scold? Answer: Me.
So, with the two statements we can understand how to identify the direct object in a sentence.

Examples of Direct objects

Prabhat fed the birds.                Verb: Fed, Ask what? Ans: Bird. Thus DO: Bird
I will study maths later.              Verb: Study, Ask what? Ans: Maths. Thus DO: Maths
I know him.                                Verb: Know, Ask whom? Ans: Him. Thus DO: Him
I think she is ill.                          Verb: think, Ask what? Ans: She is ill. Thus DO: She is ill.

How to find a Direct Object ?

Whenever there is an object in a sentence, and if you want to find out the Direct object, simply ask “what” or “whom”. 
1. Police caught the thief.
Here police caught whom? Or Whom did the police catch?
It is “thief”; thus “thief” is the direct object. 
Remember: Direct objects are placed right after the transitive verb. 
2. Don’t throw the stone. 
Don’t throw what? Or what is not to be thrown? 
It is “Stone”; thus “stone” is the direct object.

Direct object Pronouns

Pronouns can be used in two ways depending upon whether it is used in a subjective way or an objective way. So basically, there are subjective pronouns and objective pronouns. 
For e.g., if you were to use a second-person pronoun in the subject, it will be he/she, but if the same pronoun is to be used in the object, then, their objective pronoun which should be used is “him/her”.
So, there is a chart for it that you refer to see subjective pronouns and objective pronouns.
Subjective pronoun 
I, You, He/She/It, We, They
Objective pronoun
Me, you, him/her/it, us, them.

Direct object Phrases

So far, we have seen a Direct object as a single word only, but a direct object can be both a noun and a noun phrase. 
Nyra loves ice cream. 
Here “ice-cream” is the direct object. 
Nyra loves her. 
Here the direct object is “her”
But let’s see this example
He hopes to win the first prize.
Here “to win the first prize” is the direct object of the verb ‘hopes’. 
Just question he hopes what? 
So, the answer of what is “to win the first prize”.

Note: Only Transitive verbs have Direct Objects. 

Different Kinds of Direct Objects

Direct objects can be of different kinds. It depends on what is used at the place of the direct object. It can be a noun, a pronoun,  a phrase, or a clause. 

-Noun as a Direct Object

I want a car. 
Here, the direct object is the “car”. It can be validated by asking “I want what or what do I want”? The answer is “car”. Thus here, the direct object is a noun. 
Other examples:
I respect soldiers.  Respect whom? Answer: Soldiers. Thus DO: Soldiers. 
I killed mosquitoes. Killed what? Answer: Mosquitoes. Thus DO: Mosquitoes.

-Pronoun as Direct Object

I want him. 
Here the direct object is “him”. It can be validated by asking “I want whom or whom do I want?” Answer is “him.”, Thus here, the direct object is a pronoun.
Other examples:
I know them. Know whom? Answer: them. Thus DO: them. 
I take it. take what? Answer: it. Thus DO: it.

-Compound Direct Objects

Compound Direct objects are just objects which have been made with two or more words. 
Eg. Noun + noun = foot ball = football. 
I like football.
Adjective + noun = full moon = fullmoon
I saw fullmoon yesterday. 
Verb(ing) + noun = swimming pool = swimming pool
The hotel had a large swimming pool.

-Noun Phrase Can Be a Direct Object

I enjoy reading this book. Here, the direct object is “Reading this book”.
Other examples:
I prefer bread and butter for the breakfast. 
I know the actor in the movie.

-Noun Clause Can Be a Direct Object

A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb.
And like all clauses, a noun clause also has a subject and a clause. 
For e.g. 
I know he has a car. 
Here, the subject of the clause is “he” and the verb is “car”. 
And the complete clause “he has a car” is the direct object of “Know”, thus here the Direct object is a noun clause which is “he has a car”.
Other examples: 
I saw what he did. D.O: what he did. 
Ask the child what he wants. D.O: what he wants.

Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs

 A transitive verb is a verb that takes the direct object and also indicates “who or what” receives the action. 
E.g. She gives a flower. 
Here “flower” is a direct object and it is the flower that is being given. 
Transitive verbs examples: Agree, play, eat, pay, kill, find, etc.

An intransitive verb does not take any object. Thus, other than “object”, other information can be used after the intransitive verb, like adverb or prepositional phrase. 
Students laughed heartily.
He disappeared after the class. 

In these sentences, there is no object after the verbs “laughed or disappeared”. 

Direct Objects in English – FAQs

What is the direct object in grammar?

A direct object is a noun that receives the action of the verb. A word or phrase that receives the action of the verb is called Direct object. In a sentence, the direct object is the noun or noun phrase that’s receiving the action of the verb. The basic construction is Subject + Verb + Who or What.

What is the definition of a direct object?

The direct object of a verb is the thing being acted upon. A word or phrase that receives the action of the verb is called Direct object.

What are direct object examples?

Him, Her, cake, Dog, car, flag, president, etc. 


Last Updated : 21 Mar, 2024
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