Some sentences contain two objects after the verb, but those objects do not perform the same job. In Daniel sent his sister a message, a message is what Daniel sent, while his sister is the person who received it. A message is the direct object, and his sister is the indirect object.
Indirect objects are closely connected with direct objects, but identifying them takes more than simply looking for a person after the verb. The sentence structure matters, especially when a similar meaning can also be expressed with to or for.
What Is an Indirect Object?
An indirect object is an object that occurs with a direct object and typically identifies a recipient, beneficiary, addressee, or another participant connected with that direct object.
Sophia gave Ethan the map.
Here:
- Sophia = subject
- gave = verb
- Ethan = indirect object
- the map = direct object
The map is the direct object. Ethan is the person who receives it, so Ethan is the indirect object.
A direct object can occur without an indirect object:
Sophia gave the map.
The sentence has a direct object, the map, but no indirect object.
In the ordinary active double-object pattern, however, an indirect object occurs together with a direct object:
Sophia gave Ethan the map.
People are very common indirect objects, but an indirect object does not have to refer to a person.
The new lighting gave the room a warmer appearance.
The room functions as the indirect object, while a warmer appearance is the direct object.
The Basic Indirect Object Sentence Pattern
A common pattern is:
Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object
Ryan showed his parents the photographs.
The sentence can be divided like this:
- Ryan = subject
- showed = verb
- his parents = indirect object
- the photographs = direct object
In this construction, the indirect object normally appears after the verb and before the direct object.
The coach taught us a new drill.
Us is the indirect object, and a new drill is the direct object.
This two-object structure occurs with certain ditransitive verbs in English, including common uses of verbs such as give, send, show, tell, teach, and offer.
Not every verb can use this pattern. Whether two objects are possible depends on the verb and sometimes on the meaning in which that verb is being used.
What Can Function as an Indirect Object?
Indirect objects are typically noun phrases. They may consist of a single word or several words working together.
A Common Noun or Noun Phrase
The librarian handed the visitor a brochure.
The visitor is the indirect object.
A Proper Noun
Rebecca lent James her umbrella.
James is the indirect object.
A Pronoun
Please send me the details.
Me is the indirect object.
A Longer Noun Phrase
The company offered its most experienced engineers new positions.
The entire phrase its most experienced engineers functions as the indirect object.
A Coordinated Noun Phrase
Emma made Noah and Grace some sandwiches.
Noah and Grace together form the indirect object.
The length of the noun phrase does not determine its grammatical role. Its function within the sentence does.
How to Identify an Indirect Object
A reliable approach is to examine the whole two-object structure rather than depending on one question test.
Consider:
Marcus mailed his aunt a postcard.
Start with the verb, mailed.
The noun phrase a postcard functions as the direct object. Another object, his aunt, appears between the verb and that direct object.
The pattern is:
Marcus | mailed | his aunt | a postcard
Subject | Verb | Indirect Object | Direct Object
His aunt is the recipient associated with the postcard, so it functions as the indirect object.
When checking a sentence, look for three things:
- a verb being used with two objects;
- a direct object;
- another object immediately before that direct object.
The meaning should also fit the construction. The first object often identifies someone who receives, benefits from, or is addressed through what the second object expresses.
This method is more dependable than asking only to whom? or for whom?
Why “To Whom?” and “For Whom?” Are Not Enough
You may have learned to identify an indirect object by asking to whom?, for whom?, or for what?
Those questions can provide a useful clue, but they cannot determine the grammatical structure by themselves.
Compare:
Olivia sent Ben the invitation.
Ben is the indirect object. It appears directly after sent and before the direct object the invitation.
Now compare:
Olivia sent the invitation to Ben.
You can still ask, “To whom did Olivia send the invitation?” and answer Ben.
But Ben is now part of the prepositional phrase to Ben rather than occupying the indirect-object position.
An even clearer example is:
Olivia spoke to Ben.
The question “To whom did Olivia speak?” again produces Ben, but there is no direct object in this sentence. Ben belongs to the prepositional phrase to Ben, so the sentence does not contain the same indirect-object structure.
The question test can help you understand the meaning. The sentence pattern tells you the grammatical function.
Indirect Object vs. Direct Object
A direct object and an indirect object can appear in the same sentence, but they have different functions.
The chef served the guests dinner.
In this two-object construction, dinner is the direct object. The guests is the indirect object because they are the recipients.
Another example:
Chloe taught her brother a song.
- her brother = indirect object
- a song = direct object
The distinction is structural, not simply “person versus thing.” A direct object can also refer to a person, and an indirect object can sometimes refer to something other than a person.
What matters is the role each object has in the clause.
A sentence may also contain only a direct object:
Chloe practiced a song.
A song is the direct object. There is no indirect object.
Indirect Object vs. Object of a Preposition
Indirect objects are especially easy to confuse with nouns that appear after to or for.
Compare:
Benjamin gave Clara the keys.
The structure is:
gave + Clara + the keys
Clara is the indirect object, and the keys is the direct object.
Now compare:
Benjamin gave the keys to Clara.
The structure is:
gave + the keys + to Clara
The keys is the direct object. Clara now appears inside the prepositional phrase to Clara rather than in the indirect-object position.
The two sentences can describe essentially the same event, but their grammatical structures are different.
The same contrast can occur with for:
Ava baked her neighbor some cookies.
Her neighbor is the indirect object.
Ava baked some cookies for her neighbor.
Her neighbor appears inside the prepositional phrase for her neighbor.
Grammar terminology is not completely uniform here. Some teaching traditions use indirect object more broadly for the recipient or beneficiary even when it follows to or for. In the structural analysis used in this article, the terms are kept separate:
before the direct object without a preposition: indirect object
after a preposition such as to or for: part of a prepositional phrase
Keeping that distinction clear makes sentence structure easier to analyze consistently.
Indirect Objects Can Express Different Relationships
An indirect object is often described as the person who “receives” the direct object. That works for many sentences, but it is too narrow as a complete definition.
Recipient
Nathan handed Julia the folder.
Julia receives the folder.
Beneficiary
Rachel cooked her family dinner.
Her family benefits from what Rachel cooked.
Addressee or Recipient of Information
The manager told the team the news.
The team receives the information expressed by the news.
I asked Daniel a question.
Daniel is the person to whom the question is directed.
These examples show why an indirect object should not be understood only as someone physically receiving an object. The relationship depends on the verb and the construction.
Pronouns as Indirect Objects
Personal pronouns frequently function as indirect objects.
The receptionist gave me a form.
We sent her the confirmation.
Lucas showed them the entrance.
The pronouns me, her, and them are indirect objects in these sentences.
English uses the object forms of personal pronouns in object positions:
- me
- you
- him
- her
- it
- us
- them
For example:
Maya offered him a seat.
Use him, not he, because the pronoun functions as an object.
These forms are not special “indirect object pronouns.” The same pronoun can perform different object functions in different sentences.
Compare:
Maya offered him a seat.
Him = indirect object.
Maya greeted him.
Him = direct object.
Maya sat beside him.
Him appears after the preposition beside.
The pronoun form remains the same, while its grammatical function changes with the sentence.
Can an Indirect Object Become the Subject in Passive Voice?
With some verbs that allow two objects, an indirect object in an active sentence can correspond to the subject of a passive sentence.
Active:
The committee awarded Elena a scholarship.
Elena is the indirect object.
Passive:
Elena was awarded a scholarship.
Elena is now the subject of the passive sentence, so it is no longer functioning as an indirect object.
Another passive construction is also possible:
A scholarship was awarded to Elena.
Here, a scholarship is the subject, while to Elena is a prepositional phrase.
The passive patterns available depend on the verb and construction. Passive voice can therefore support an analysis, but it should not be used as the only test for identifying an indirect object.
Indirect Object Examples in Sentences
These examples show indirect objects with different verbs, noun phrases, and pronouns.
The teacher gave Maya extra time.
Maya is the indirect object. Extra time is the direct object.
Jordan sent his grandparents a photograph.
His grandparents is the indirect object. A photograph is the direct object.
The guide showed us the shortest route.
Us is the indirect object. The shortest route is the direct object.
Priya bought her daughter a bicycle.
Her daughter is the indirect object. A bicycle is the direct object.
The editor offered the new writer some useful advice.
The new writer is the indirect object. Some useful advice is the direct object.
Henry told his colleagues the whole story.
His colleagues is the indirect object. The whole story is the direct object.
My neighbor saved me a parking space.
Me is the indirect object. A parking space is the direct object.
The instructor taught the beginners a simple breathing technique.
The beginners is the indirect object. A simple breathing technique is the direct object.
An indirect object is easiest to recognize when you look at the complete sentence pattern. Find the verb and direct object, then check whether another object appears before that direct object and has the recipient, beneficiary, addressee, or a similar role allowed by the verb. If the noun instead follows to, for, or another preposition, analyze the prepositional phrase separately rather than relying only on a “to whom?” or “for whom?” question.
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