Object in English Grammar: Types, Examples & Uses

An object is a grammatical element that belongs to a verb’s construction or serves as the complement of a preposition. Direct and indirect objects occur in verb patterns, while an object of a preposition belongs within a prepositional phrase.

Consider:

The photographer recognised an old friend in the crowd.

An old friend is the direct object of recognised. It identifies the person the photographer recognised.

Now compare:

The photographer waved to an old friend.

Here, an old friend is the object of the preposition to, not a direct object of waved.

The noun phrase is the same, but its grammatical function changes according to its relationship with the verb or preposition.

Types of Objects in English Grammar

English has two main types of objects associated with verbs: direct objects and indirect objects. Prepositions can also have objects.

Direct Objects

A direct object is a noun phrase, pronoun, or another suitable grammatical expression that functions as an object of a verb.

Clara remembers the address.

The address is the direct object of remembers, even though remembering doesn’t involve physically acting on anything.

An object doesn’t always receive a physical action. It may identify something a person knows, remembers, prefers, or experiences.

Indirect Objects

Some verbs can take both a direct object and an indirect object.

The gallery offered the visitors a private tour.

A private tour is the direct object, while the visitors is the indirect object. The visitors are the people receiving the offer.

The usual pattern is:

Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object

A recipient may also be introduced by a preposition, although that creates a different grammatical construction.

The gallery offered a private tour to the visitors.

Here, a private tour remains the direct object, but the visitors is now the object of the preposition to.

Not all verbs allow both patterns. For example, we say explained the arrangements to the visitors, not explained the visitors the arrangements.

Objects of Prepositions

A preposition can have an object within a larger prepositional phrase.

The spare keys were hidden beneath a loose floorboard.

A loose floorboard is the object of beneath. The full phrase beneath a loose floorboard tells us where the keys were hidden.

An object of a preposition doesn’t have to express a location.

The organisers relied on the local volunteers.

The local volunteers is the object of the preposition on.

Here, rely on is a prepositional-verb construction. The phrase on the local volunteers is closely connected to the meaning of relied. It isn’t merely an optional detail about where or when something happened.

How to Identify an Object in a Sentence

To identify an object, you need to know which verb or preposition it belongs to. A noun appearing after a verb isn’t necessarily that verb’s object.

When a Verb Has an Object in One Sentence but Not Another

Compare:

The caretaker opened the side gate.

The side gate opened slowly.

In the first sentence, the side gate is the direct object of opened.

In the second, the side gate is the subject. Opened has no direct object, while slowly describes how the gate opened.

Some verbs can be used with or without a direct object. An object isn’t required in every sentence.

When a Noun After a Verb Is Not Its Object

Consider:

The new assistant became the department coordinator.

The department coordinator follows became, but it isn’t a direct object. It identifies the subject, the new assistant, and functions as a subject complement.

Compare:

The new assistant contacted the department coordinator.

Here, the department coordinator is the direct object of contacted.

Why “What?” and “Whom?” Are Only Starting Clues

Asking what? or whom? after a verb can help you find a possible object, but the answer still needs to fit the sentence’s grammatical structure.

The technician repaired the ventilation system.

Ask repaired what? The answer, the ventilation system, is the direct object.

However, a similar question can also lead to the object of a preposition, as the introductory example involving waved to an old friend shows. The question alone doesn’t establish whether a noun phrase is a direct object.

What Can Function as an Object?

Objects are commonly nouns and noun phrases. Certain subordinate clauses also complete the meaning of verbs in constructions traditionally described as taking clause objects.

Nouns and Noun Phrases

The council approved the proposed pedestrian crossing.

The proposed pedestrian crossing is the complete direct-object noun phrase, not simply the noun crossing.

An object may also contain a descriptive clause.

The curator restored the painting that had been damaged during transport.

The complete direct object is the painting that had been damaged during transport.

The relative clause identifies which painting was restored. It belongs inside the larger noun phrase rather than functioning as another direct object.

Clauses Following Verbs

An entire subordinate clause can complete the meaning of a verb.

The inspector discovered that the rear window had been left unlocked.

That the rear window had been left unlocked is a subordinate content clause completing the meaning of discovered.

In traditional grammar, such clauses are commonly described as noun clauses functioning as direct objects. The entire clause expresses what the inspector discovered.

Object Pronouns in English

Personal pronouns sometimes have different forms depending on whether they function as subjects or objects.

You and it have the same form in subject and object positions.

Object forms can serve as direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of prepositions.

The receptionist recognised us immediately.

Us is the direct object of recognised.

The receptionist handed us the visitor badges.

Here, us is the indirect object, while the visitor badges is the direct object.

The arrangements were discussed with them.

Them is the object of the preposition with.

The term object pronoun describes the pronoun’s form. Its grammatical function depends on how it is used.

Object vs. Object Complement

An object complement identifies or describes a direct object. It is not another name for the object itself.

The long delay made the passengers restless.

The passengers is the direct object of made.

Restless describes their resulting condition, so it functions as an object complement.

Object complements may also identify a role:

The committee elected Serena chairperson.

Serena is the direct object, while chairperson identifies the position to which she was elected.

Objects in Longer Sentences

A sentence can contain direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions at the same time. Some may also be nested inside larger phrases.

Compare these two sentences.

Sentence 1: The Recipient as an Indirect Object

The archivist sent the researcher a scan of the damaged manuscript.

The researcher is the indirect object of sent.

Within the direct-object noun phrase a scan of the damaged manuscript, the phrase of the damaged manuscript describes the scan. The damaged manuscript is the object of of, not another direct object of sent.

Sentence 2: The Recipient in a Prepositional Phrase

The archivist sent a scan of the damaged manuscript to the researcher.

The same transfer is described, but the researcher is now the object of to, within the prepositional phrase to the researcher.

The direct object remains a scan of the damaged manuscript, including its own prepositional phrase.

First English Grade Editorial

The First English Grade Editorial creates simple English grammar, vocabulary, and language guides for students, beginners, and everyday learners.