Do you know what a direct object is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on direct objects, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to Literary Devices, a direct object in English grammar is any noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that shows who or what receives the action of a verb, which is performed by a subject specified at the start of the sentence. A direct object is the recipient of action by the subject. Only transitive verbs have direct objects, and intransitive verbs do not. The direct object pronouns are me, you, him, her, them, it, us, you (plural), and them. While direct objects receive the action, indirect objects answer the “to who?” or “for what?” questions of the sentence. Intransitive verbs never take an object, either a direct object or indirect object. A linking verb like be, seem, and feel can be used to link a complement, which is not a direct object. Gerund phrases are a group of words that can also be subject complements or direct objects for native English speakers.
French also has direct object pronouns. According to Lawless French, these are me, te, le, la, nous, vous, and les. You can identify the direct object of the sentence by the action of a transitive verb. These are used by everyone, from authors like Edward Hoagland and E.B. White who wrote Charlotte’s Web, to them being used in everyday speech.
Many different languages also contain words that mean direct object. You may notice that some of these translations of direct object look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that likely have the same root or language of origin, causing them to sound the same. The below list of translations of direct object is provided by Word Sense.
A direct object can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of direct object that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use. Take a look at these direct object examples from Your Dictionary and see how many you can identify the direct object in!
The ocean calls Siobhan.
James accidentally tripped Claire as she walked out of her room.
Jack chased Jill and her merry band of friends.
Sasha paints landscapes.
I assumed that the policy was canceled.
The kindergarteners prefer short stories over poetry.
Juan ate cereal.
Shannon loves traveling to Europe.
Poetry harkens people from all across the globe.
Anne pet the pig on the cheek.
The rats were surprised at the courage of turtles, as they were scared of the flow of water from the lid of the carton.
Europe welcomed millions of tourists last year.
Tommy prefers the librarian with red glasses.
Dad built a treehouse for my 11th birthday.
Damien hates raisins.
Aisling loves sitting by the sea.
The dog hates when her owner puts her on a leash.
I hugged him with all my might.
What are other literary techniques and devices?
There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.
Kevin
December 17, 2021
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