Sentences With Indirect Object: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know what an indirect object is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on indirect objects, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is an indirect object?

According to Collins English Dictionary, an indirect object in English grammar is an object that is used with a transitive verb. An indirect object indicates who or what  is the recipient of the direct object. This is not to be confused with the object of the preposition or the direct object of the sentence. Indirect object phrases often use transitive and linking verbs which link the subject of the sentence to further information, which is known as the subject complement. These linking verbs are below:

  •  seem
  •  has been
  •  are
  •  were
  •  am
  •  have been
  •  become
  •  is
  •  was

Indirect objects do not directly receive the action of the verb, hence their name. If what appears to be an indirect object occurs within a prepositional phrase, it is the object of a preposition, not an indirect object, which can be confusing. The recipient of the direct object or receivers of the direct object pronoun is another way to describe an indirect object. These are also used in Spanish indirect object pronouns and French, according to UVIC. In these languages, the indirect object pronouns are le, les, la, ella, ellos, ellas, los, te, and el. Indirect objects are never used with intransitive verbs. While it may feel difficult to memorize these parts of speech and stick to the simplest sentences, studying indirect object pronoun placement and other different things in grammar will build your knowledge.

What are examples of indirect objects?

An indirect 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 indirect object that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use.  Take a look at the following examples of the indirect object of a sentence from Soft Schools, Grammar Monster and Your Dictionary and see how many you can identify the indirect object in the following sentences!

  •  Nana gave Tim a bath.
  •  When giving jewellery as a present, I’m giving protection to someone I care about. (Actress Sofia Boutella)
  •  Why did you give her that?
  •  Her mom brought her a glassful of seashells.
  •  She gave me and my wife a present. 
  •  Ann gave her sister a sidelong stare.
  •  Shall I tell the children our ghost story tonight?
  •  Mrs. Thorn made Beverly a cake. 
  •  James Bond told Mother the news.
  •  The librarian’s dad offered him his ‘69 Chevelle for his 30th birthday.
  •  The kids gave a letter to Jennifer.
  •  During the snowstorm, I wrote my brother a heartfelt letter.
  •  She gave her dog a bath before they went away on vacation.
  •  He presented the prize to the winning captain.
  •  Mrs. Peterson assigned the class 10 math problems.
  •  Alan finally gave her the engagement ring.
  •  They know Juan.
  •  The studied the previous lesson on adverbs, but still needed a hint during the exam.
  •  Phillip gave the dog a bone.
  •  He downloaded the new iOS on his phone in Oct.
  •  I was sad throughout the holiday season.
  •  Matt bought his new wife a huge box of Belgian chocolates, a bouquet of flowers and a toy for her birthday.
  •  Steve assembled Maria a brand new office chair.
  •  Ian bought Sarah a flower. 
  •  Ana gave Jim the night’s homework assignment.
  •  He will buy a pizza lunch for María tomorrow.
  •  Eli poured Mary some water.
  •  Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity. (Educational reformer Horace Mann)
  •  I have been happy for months now.
  •  Can we tell our friends the story of how we met the puppy?
  •  I have given the room a quick inspection.
  •  Professor Parinya assigned his students three new projects.
  •  Paula passed her father the parcel.
  •  The waiter made a bit of a mess pouring one of the guests a glass of wine.
  •  Hillary never sent Bill any emails.
  •  John threw the dog a ball and the dog brought it to me.
  •  Do you always read your children a story at bedtime?
  •  Let’s bring Mom and Dad the manuscript of our first play.
  •  I was planning on presenting John the wooden spoon.
  •  Can you make me some fruit cakes?
  •  Pass me the butter.
  •  Throwing her dog a dirty look, she stormed out the room.
  •  Don’t give him that book!
  •  Simon gave his uncle a dirty look.
  •  The moon offered the ship an opportunity to find the way home.
  •  Early the morning, I baked Bryan cupcakes to take to class.
  •  The apartment seems colorful, light, and airy.
  •  Dad made Will a sandwich.
  •  In art class, I made my roommate a sculpture.
  •  Becky baked Bernice a plateful of cookies.
  •  The sun gave the garden a pocketful of sunshine.
  •  To give me a gun was lunacy.
  •  Metaphors give your writing some spice.
  •  Give us the diamonds.
  •  Give him the tools to build the sandcastles.
  •  The grandmother read Katie the invitations. 

Overall, an indirect object is an object that benefits or gets something from the action taken in a sentence, but is not the direct recipient of the action. Try seeing if you can identify the indirect object in a sentence today to help grow your English grammatical knowledge!

Sources:

  1. Direct/indirect objects | UVIC 
  2. indirect object: meaning, translation | Word Sense 
  3. Indirect Object Examples | Soft Schools 
  4. Indirect object definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. 
  5. Indirect Object | What Is an Indirect Object? | Grammar Monster 
  6. Indirect Object Examples | Your Dictionary 
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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.

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