Object in Grammar

Object in Grammar

Definition

Object in grammar is defined as someone or something that receives an action. The receiver of an action can be a noun, phrase, or clause. In this case, a phrase or clause functions as a noun.

Ali studied math.

In this example, receiver of the action (studied) is math. Math is the object in this sentence.

He answered all the questions.

Receiver of the action in this example is all the questions. All the questions is a noun phrase that functions as a noun and used here as an object.

I listened what you told him.

What you told him is a clause functioning as a noun and receives the action (listened). Therefore, we call this clause an object in this sentence.

Types of objects

There are two types of objects named as direct object and indirect object. It must be in your mind that we categorize objects as direct and indirect only when we have two objects in a sentence. If there is just one object in a sentence, it must be a direct object.

Direct object

A direct object receives an action of a verb directly by answering the questions ‘Whom’ or ‘What’.

He called Ali. (Whom did he call?)
He kicked the ball. (What did he kick?)
They studied all related documents. (What did they study?)
We minded what you hide from us. (What did we mind?)

The above examples are the answers of the questions mentioned in the parentheses.

Indirect object

An indirect object is defined as a recipient of the direct object that receives the action of the direct object by answering the questions to or for whom or what.

She bought a gift for me.
I told a story to them.

Me and them are the recipients of the direct objects (gift and story) in the above examples. They receive the actions indirectly.

Remember that there must be a direct object in a sentence with an indirect object. When there is just one object in a sentence, the object is considered a direct object.

I told a story to them.
I told them.

In the first example, ‘them’ is the indirect object because it is the recipient of the direct object (story). In the second example, ‘them’ is the direct object because the object is just one in the sentence.

Position of direct and indirect objects in a sentence

Position of direct object

If there is a direct object in a sentence without indirect object, the direct object comes after verb. It there are two objects in a sentence, the direct object can be placed after verb or indirect object.

He gave invitation card to me.
He gave me invitation card.

Position of indirect object

There are two options to place the indirect object in a sentence. We can place indirect object after a verb or after a direct object. We use preposition to or for when we place it after direct object. Preposition to or for is not needed when it is used just after verb.

He presented us a topic.
He presented a topic to us.

Object complement

It is a noun, pronoun, adjective or phrase that comes after direct object to describe it or rename it.

He proved me right.
I will name her Diya.

If we omit the adjective (right) and the noun (Diya) from the above examples, they will not give complete sense. In short, we use object complement to make a sentence that gives complete sense.

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