Objects
Simply put, an object is a noun or pronoun representing the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. Here, we'll explain more.
What Are Objects?
Generally, an object is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that usually comes after the verb.
The object is the person or thing that the action is done to. It is the opposite of the subject instead of doing an action, it receives the action.
Types of Objects Based on Structure
Based on grammatical structure (makeup of the words) we have three main types of objects. They are:
- Simple objects
- Compound objects
- Complete objects
1. Simple Objects
By simple object, we mean one simple individual word (sometimes a word plus a definite or an indefinite article) that acts as an object. It can be:
- An object personal pronoun
- A masculine or feminine proper noun
I met
She called
I love
Object Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns can be either subjects or objects in a sentence. In the table below, you can see the list of object personal pronouns.
English Object Pronouns
2. Compound Objects
The second type of object is a compound object. As their names suggest, these objects are comprised of two or more nouns or pronouns. Take a look at these examples:
They invited
As you can see, sometimes we have a mix of nouns and pronouns, but they are all still the object of our sentence.
I saw
3. Complete Objects
Complete objects are noun phrases or noun clauses. A noun phrase is a group of words that together act like a noun. Look at the examples:
The flood destroyed
I like
Types of Objects Based on Grammatical Functions
using a direct object in a sentence
There are three types of objects based on grammatical functions:
1. Direct Objects
A direct object is a person or a thing that is directly affected by the action of the verb.
The easiest way to find a direct object is finding the verb and asking what? or whom?
He was eating
He was eating what? A hamburger. So, 'a hamburger' is our direct object.
She knows
She know whom? Everybody. So, 'everybody' is our direct object.
2. Indirect Objects
An indirect object is usually a person or a thing that receives or is affected by a direct object.
An indirect object always needs a direct object and always comes before the direct object.
She cooked us
I owe him
3. Object of a Preposition
The object of a preposition is the noun or pronoun that usually (but not always) comes immediately after a preposition.
Try eating your meals without
In this sentence, the noun 'salt' follows the preposition 'without.' Together, they form a prepositional phrase.
Lee lives in
One way to find the indirect object is to rephrase the sentence with a prepositional phrase using to or for. If you do that, as in the examples below, the direct object usually comes first.
| indirect + direct object | direct object + prepositional phrase with to/for |
|---|---|
|
The postman gave me |
The postman gave |
|
He bought me |
He bought |
Verbs and Objects
Do All Verbs Take Objects?
The answer is no. Here are some important rules you need to know about verbs and objects:
- Only transitive verbs can have an object.
I
- Intransitive verbs do not take an object.
Sarah
- Some verbs need both a direct object and an indirect object.
She
- Linking verbs do not have a direct object.
He
Here, 'a really nice guy' is not a direct object. It's a subject complement following the linking verb 'is.'
Review
Objects are nouns, pronouns, and noun phrases that receive an action. They usually come after some main verbs and after prepositions (if needed).
| simple objects | compound objects | complete objects | |
|---|---|---|---|
| examples |
They talked to |
I asked |
I hate |
There are three types of objects based on grammatical functions.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
There are two types of verbs based on whether they can get an object or not. Those verbs that need an object to have a complete meaning are called transitive verbs and those verbs that have a complete meaning without an object are called intransitive verbs.
I
My daughter
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