The direct object is a noun or pronoun that answers the question ‘‘who?’’ or
‘‘what?’’ after an action verb.
➲ You asked me an interesting question. (What did you ask me?—an interesting
question. Thus, question is the direct object.)
➲ The dog drank the water and the lemonade. (What did the dog drink?—
the water and the lemonade. Thus, water and lemonade are the compound
direct objects.)
The indirect object is a noun or pronoun that answers the question ‘‘for
whom?’’ or ‘‘to whom?’’ after an action verb. If a sentence includes an indirect
object, itmust also have a direct object.
➲ George brought his mom some groceries. (Mom is the indirect object,
and groceries is the direct object.)
➲ We gave her and him a new car. (The two pronouns, her and him, answer
the question ‘‘to whom?’’ did we give a new car. Therefore, her and him
are the compound indirect objects, and car is the direct object.)
The object of the preposition is a noun or pronoun that usually ends the
phrase begun by the preposition.
➲ Sherry walked into the cafeteria. (The prepositional phrase, into the cafeteria,
includes the object of the preposition, cafeteria.)
➲ They sat beside her and me. (The prepositional phrase, beside her and me,
includes the compound objects of the preposition, her and me.)
