Direct objects Worksheet Practice Exercises with Answers

Understanding Direct Objects

A noun phrase can work as the subject of a sentence, as seen in Lesson 38. A noun phrase can also fill other roles. For instance, a noun phrase may be acted on by the subject and come after the verb. These noun phrases are known as direct objects. The direct objects in the sentences below are underlined:

1. John baked a cake.
2. Leah had visualized a simple room.
3. She is buying a small studio apartment.
4. My niece rented a movie last night.

How can you tell which noun phrase in a sentence functions as the direct object? In general, the direct object is the answer to the questions: "Who or what is being acted upon? Who or what is getting the action?" Thus, for instance, in the sentence My niece rented a movie last night, the direct object is a movie, since a movie is what is being acted on (being rented). Typically, direct objects show up right after the verb. (We go over a different pattern in Lesson 40.)

Quick Tip 39.1

The direct object of a sentence is receiving the action. It can usually be found by giving an answer to the question: "Who or what is being acted upon or getting the action?" The direct object typically shows up right after the verb.

Question 1. You must include all relevant facts.

Answer: The direct object is "all relevant facts". This is what is being acted on or included by the subject.

Exam Tip: Look for what is receiving the action by asking "What is being acted upon?" after the verb.

Question 2. Bridget is asking numerous questions.

Answer: The direct object is "numerous questions". This is what is being acted on or asked by Bridget.

Exam Tip: Remember that the direct object typically comes right after the verb in the sentence.

Question 3. The Spanish ships needed fresh supplies.

Answer: The direct object is "fresh supplies". This is what is being acted on or needed by the ships.

Exam Tip: The direct object answers the question "What is being acted upon?"

Question 4. She will watch the baby.

Answer: The direct object is "the baby". This is what is being acted on or watched.

Exam Tip: Direct objects come right after the verb most of the time.

Question 5. The townspeople have wanted tax relief for years.

Answer: The direct object is "tax relief". This is what is being acted on or wanted by the townspeople.

Exam Tip: Focus on finding what the subject is acting upon to spot the direct object.

When Sentences Do Not Have Direct Objects

Not all sentences have direct objects. Here are examples of sentences with action verbs that do not have direct objects:

5. My friend laughed loudly.
6. Mr. Thomas slept well.
7. You're always worrying.

You may recall, from Lesson 10, that there are transitive and intransitive verbs. Transitive verbs, like bake or rent, act on something or someone and so they carry direct objects. Intransitive verbs, like laugh, sleep, and worry, aren't acting upon something or someone and so don't carry direct objects.

What about these next sentences?

8. My friend stopped at the grocery store.
9. Mr. Thomas slept well during the night.
10. You're always worrying about something.

As you can see, these sentences have prepositional phrases, which are underlined (Lesson 29). A prepositional phrase is not a direct object. For instance, at the grocery store in sentence 8 and during the night in sentence 9 are not being acted upon.

To sum up, only transitive action verbs carry direct objects, and prepositional phrases are not direct objects.

Question 6. Most people greeted us warmly at the reception.

Answer: The direct object is "us". This is what is being acted on or greeted by the people.

Exam Tip: Prepositional phrases like "at the reception" modify the sentence but are not direct objects.

Question 7. I bought two bottles of Pepsi.

Answer: The direct object is "two bottles of Pepsi". This is what is being acted on or bought.

Exam Tip: The entire noun phrase, including modifiers, can serve as the direct object.

Question 8. Actors must memorize their lines.

Answer: The direct object is "their lines". This is what is being acted on or memorized by the actors.

Exam Tip: Possessive pronouns like "their" can be part of the direct object noun phrase.

Question 9. Last week, Jack renewed his passport.

Answer: The direct object is "his passport". This is what is being acted on or renewed by Jack.

Exam Tip: Time expressions like "Last week" are not part of the direct object.

Question 10. Where did you get that sweater?

Answer: The direct object is "that sweater". This is what is being acted on or gotten.

Exam Tip: In questions, the direct object may appear at the start of the sentence, but it still answers "What is being acted upon?"

Linking Verbs and Verb Complements

What about this next sentence?

11. She is a doctor.

Is a doctor getting the action of is? That's a strange question, isn't it? That's because is is not an action verb; it's a linking verb (see Lesson 9). Sentences with linking verbs don't carry direct objects, since there is no action going on in the sentence. In each sentence below, the linking verb is italicized. The underlined portion of each sentence is not a direct object, since it's not being acted on. Instead, it's called the verb complement.

12. My teacher resembles Tom Cruise.
13. That dinner was delicious.
14. Her husband became a lawyer.

Question 11. Gerald has taken that course.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Taken" is an action verb, so the noun phrase following it is the direct object.

Question 12. Rob used this technique in his restaurant.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Used" is an action verb; "this technique" is what is being acted on.

Question 13. Adam might withdraw his resignation.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Withdraw" is an action verb, so what follows is the direct object.

Question 14. The mayor is sounding confident.

Answer: Verb complement

Exam Tip: "Sounding" here is a linking verb expressing a state of being, not a true action.

Question 15. We quickly got ready.

Answer: Verb complement

Exam Tip: "Got ready" is a linking construction describing a state, not an action on an object.

Question 16. He was getting a pastrami sandwich in the deli.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Was getting" is an action verb; "a pastrami sandwich" is what is being acted on.

Question 17. She loves her new car.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Loves" is an action verb showing what she is acting on.

Question 18. We were best friends in high school.

Answer: Verb complement

Exam Tip: "Were" is a linking verb; "best friends" describes the subject, not something being acted on.

Question 19. I'll take you to the movies.

Answer: Direct object

Exam Tip: "Take" is an action verb; "you" is what is being acted on.

Question 20. He feels foolish.

Answer: Verb complement

Exam Tip: "Feels" here is a linking verb describing a state, not an action on an object.

Question 21. Our discussion was highly entertaining.

Answer: This sentence has no direct object. "Was" is a linking verb, and "highly entertaining" is a verb complement describing the subject.

Exam Tip: Linking verbs do not take direct objects; they take verb complements instead.

Question 22. He had a growing family.

Answer: The direct object is "a growing family". "Had" is an action verb, so what follows is being acted on.

Exam Tip: The verb "had" in the sense of "possessed" is an action verb taking a direct object.

Question 23. She quickly got indignant.

Answer: This sentence has no direct object. "Got indignant" is a linking construction showing a state or condition.

Exam Tip: Linking constructions describe the subject and do not take direct objects.

Question 24. You must be the new baby sitter.

Answer: This sentence has no direct object. "Be" is a linking verb, and "the new baby sitter" is a verb complement describing the subject.

Exam Tip: All forms of "be" are linking verbs and do not take direct objects.

Question 25. The sheriff arrested a suspect in the fraud investigation.

Answer: The direct object is "a suspect". "Arrested" is an action verb, and "a suspect" is what is being acted on.

Exam Tip: Prepositional phrases like "in the fraud investigation" modify but are not part of the direct object.

Question 26. The soldiers fired their weapons.

Answer: The direct object is "their weapons". "Fired" is an action verb, and "their weapons" is what is being acted on.

Exam Tip: The subject is "The soldiers" and the direct object is "their weapons".

Question 27. A talented designer made that hat.

Answer: The subject is "A talented designer" and the direct object is "that hat".

Exam Tip: Adjectives describing the subject come before it, not in the direct object.

Question 28. She had married her next-door neighbor.

Answer: The subject is "She" and the direct object is "her next-door neighbor".

Exam Tip: Compound adjectives like "next-door" stay with the noun they modify in the direct object.

Question 29. Maria was watching her favorite soap opera.

Answer: The subject is "Maria" and the direct object is "her favorite soap opera".

Exam Tip: Progressive verb forms like "was watching" still take direct objects.

Question 30. These people really irritate me.

Answer: The subject is "These people" and the direct object is "me".

Exam Tip: Pronouns like "me" can serve as direct objects when they receive the action.

Question 31. Sonya has found the directions to the party.

Answer: The subject is "Sonya" and the direct object is "the directions to the party".

Exam Tip: Prepositional phrases that are part of the noun phrase stay with the direct object.

Question 32. He added salt to his soup.

Answer: The subject is "He" and the direct object is "salt". The phrase "to his soup" is a prepositional phrase telling where it was added, not part of the direct object.

Exam Tip: Prepositional phrases showing direction or location are not direct objects.

Question 33. The contestant had to make a difficult decision.

Answer: The subject is "The contestant" and the direct object is "a difficult decision".

Exam Tip: Infinitive verb phrases like "had to make" still take direct objects.

Question 34. Rhonda is expecting her third child.

Answer: The subject is "Rhonda" and the direct object is "her third child".

Exam Tip: Ordinal numbers like "third" stay with the noun they modify in the direct object.

Question 35. Last week, Martin's friends bought a present for his birthday.

Answer: The subject is "Martin's friends" and the direct object is "a present". The phrase "for his birthday" is a prepositional phrase telling the purpose, not part of the direct object.

Exam Tip: Time expressions and purpose phrases are not direct objects.