A transitive verb takes a direct object (She bit me) as opposed to an intransitive verb, which doesn

1
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

• A transitive verb takes a direct object (She bit
  me) as opposed to an intransitive verb, which
  doesnt (He swam home) or (He swam in the pool).
• In the dictionary, a tran-sitive verb is
  indicated by vt, and intransitive verb by vi.

2
How to Find a Direct Object

• The direct object is not the subject of the
  sentence, its the noun receiving the action.
  The object isnt doing anything, its having
  something done to it. A sentence doesnt need a
  direct object to be a sentence.

3
How to Find a Direct Object

• Example Jenny threw the flowers.
• Explanation Jenny is the subject shes the one
  doing the throwing. Flowers is the object they
  arent doing anything, but something is being
  done to themthey are being thrown.

4
Underline the subject, circle the verb, box-in
the direct object, and double underline the
prepositional phrase.

• Example Russell and Amanda feared the loss as
  friends.
• In this sentence ask yourself, Feared what or
  who? Answer the loss.So loss is the direct
  object.
• Remember The noun doing the action is the
  subject. The noun receiving the action is
  the direct object.

5
Underline the subject, circle the verb, box-in
the direct object, and double underline the
prepositional phrase.

• Example 50 Cent threw kisses to Lindsay upon
  her mothers orders.

In this sentence ask yourself, Threw what?
Answer kisses. So kisses is
the direct object of the verb threw.
6
Helpful Hint

• To help you find the direct
  object, first eliminate the prepositional
  phrases.
• 50 Cent threw kisses to Lindsay upon her mothers
  orders.
• Only nouns that are not the subject can
  be direct objects. By eliminating
  prepositonal phrases (which always
  end in a noun), it makes
  finding the direct object much
  easier.

7
Underline the subject, circle the verb, box-in
the direct object, and double underline the
prepositional phrase.

• Example Matt and Katie gagged the principal then
  stole his car.
• In this sentence ask yourself, Who did they
  gag? Answer the principal. Also, ask
  yourself, What did they steal? Answer his
  car.
• Remember The noun doing the action is the
  subject. The noun receiving the
  action is the direct object.

8
Find the Direct Object

• Example Tyler loves sushi.
• Ask yourself What did Tyler love?
• Answer. Sushi. So, sushi is the direct object
  because it is receiving the action of being
  loved.
• Heres another one
• Example Mallory and Jarred robbed a store and
  stole an O-Town CD.

9
Explaining the Answer

• Ask Yourself What did they rob?
• Answer a store. So, store is the direct object
  of rob because it is receiving the action of
  being robbed.
• Ask yourself What did they steal?
• Answer an O-Town CD. So, an O-Town CD is the
  direct object of steal because it is receiving
  the action of being stolen.

10
Find the Direct Object

• Example Angie found the matches and started a
  bonfire in the quad.
• Ask yourself What did Angie find?
• Answer matches. So, matches is the direct
  object because it is receiving the action of
  being found.
• Ask yourself What did Angie start?
• Answer bonfire. So, bonfire is
  the direct object because it is receiving the
  action of being started.

11
The Indirect Object

• You need a direct object to have an indirect
  object. An indirect object is really an
  understood prepositional phrase.
• Example Alex threw David the flowers.
• Answer Flowers is the direct object, and David
  is the indirect object

12
Explaining the Indirect Object

• Ask yourself What did the subject throw?
• Answer flowers
• Ask yourself, To whom did the subject throw the
  flowers?
• Answer to David
• Explanation By answering to David, it is an
  understood prepositional phrase because
  the word to is not in the sentence.

13
The Indirect Object

• Remember, an indirect object is really an
  understood prepositional phrase. It names the
  person (or thing) to whom (or to what) or for
  whom (or for what) something is done.
• However When the word naming the indirect
  receiver of the action is contained in a
  prepositional phrase, it is no longer
  considered an indirect object.

14
Find the Indirect Object

• Example Jason gave her a diamond.
• Ask yourself Gave what?
• Answer a diamond. Therefore, diamond is
  receiving the action of being given and is the
  direct object.
• Ask yourself, To whom or what was the diamond
  given?
• Answer to her. Her is the indirect object.

15
Find the Indirect Object

• Example Jason put on an expensive coat for her.
• Ask yourself, Put what?
• Answer There is no logical answer, so the verb
  is intransitive and her is the object of the
  preposition for. Sorry, but it gets tricky
  some times.