Direct Object, Indirect Object, Subject Complements

 Is a word or groups of words that completes the meaning of a subject and verb  Sometimes a subject and a verb alone can express a complete thought.  Example: Birds fly. It can stand alone because it is a complete thought  However

 in other sentences the thought has to be completed by adding other words  Example:  Toni bought What?  The eyewitness toldWhat?  Richard feelsHow?  All contain a subject and a verb but not a complete thought

 A complement is needed to make the words a complete sentence  Complements are usually nouns, pronouns, or adjectives which are located close to the verb  Examples: (subject underlined once, the verb is italicized, and the complement is bolded in black.  Toni bought cars.  The eyewitness told us the story.  Richard feels sad.

 Direct Objects are complements used after action verbs  It is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb  Find the direct object by asking the question  “Whom” or “What” after an action verb

 Examples:  The message reached the lawyer. Reached whom? Lawyer  Direct objects like subjects and verbs can be compound  Mother invited Uncle Bill and Aunt Clara Invited whom? Uncle Bill, Aunt Clara

 1. In the fourteenth century, Martini, an Italian painter, designed a human propelled carriage on four wheels.  2. However, the Greeks used wheels and carts as far back as the eighth century B.C.  3. Henry Ford introduced his first automobile as the “Quadricycle.”  4. The name automobile gained acceptance in Answers on the next slide

 1. carriage  2. wheels, carts  3. automobile  4. aceptance

 Not all Action verbs have direct objects  Be careful not to confuse a direct object with a n adverb or an object of the preposition  A direct object is never an adverb or the noun or pronoun at the end of a prepositional phrase

 1. Joanne drove her car.  2. Joanne drove quickly.  3. Joanne drove through the town.

 If you chose the sentence Joanne drove her car, you would be correct.  Joanne drove quickly.-quickly is an adverb  Joanne drove through town. Through town is a prepositional phrase with town being the object of the preposition.

 Identify the parts of speech:  Joanne drove her car quickly through town.

 Try some: Find the direct object, prepositional phrases, or adverbs and label.  1. A British inventor built a steam automobile in  2. This automobile moved rather quickly at twelve miles per hour.  3. People complained immediately about the automobiles’ noise.

 4. The speed limit restricted drivers to four miles per hour.  5. Many countries developed automobiles during this time.  Answers on the next page.

 1. automobile-Direct Object  in 1801-prepositional phrase  2. quickly-adverb  at twelve miles per hour-Prep Phrase  3. immediately-adverb  about the automobiles’ noise- Prep Phrase  4. drivers- Direct Object  to four miles per hour- Prep Phrase  5. automobiles- Direct Object  during this time- Prep Phrase

 In normal word order, the direct object is located after the verb. In questions, which are in inverted order, the direct object may not come after the verb.  A direct object in a question is sometimes located near the beginning of the sentence, before the verb  Look at the examples on the next page.

 Whom did you ask for help?  You did ask whom for help?  What does he want from us?  He does want what from us?  Which car does he want from the dealership?  He does want which car from the dealership?

 1. Which articles did she read about this experimental vehicle?  2. What disadvantages did the electric automobile have?  3. What does he know about the size and reliability of its batteries?  4. Whom did you see in the automobile museum?  Answers on the next page

 1. articles  2. disadvantages  3. What  4. Whom

 Indirect object- another kind of complement  A sentence cannot have an indirect object unless it has a direct object  Indirect Object- is a noun or pronoun that comes after an action verb and before a direct object  An indirect object answers the questions To or Who for?

 1. I told them the story.  Told to whom? Them  Keep in mind the pattern  Subject + verb+ indirect object + direct object  An indirect object will almost always come between the verb and the direct object

 Like a subject, verb, or direct object, an indirect object can be compound  Dave gave each car and truck a new color.

 1. In 1912, twenty companies offered customers electric cars.  2. The internal-combustion engine gave the electric cars new competition.  3. Engineers have given automobile makers plans for internal combustion automobiles.  4. Owners showed neighbors and friends their automobile.  5. However, the automobile often taught the drivers and passengers humility.  Answers on the next page

 1. customers  2. cars  3. makers  4. neighbors, friends  5. driver, passengers

 Do Not confuse an indirect object with an object of the preposition  AN INDIRECT OBJECT NEVER FOLLOWS “TO OR FOR” in a sentence  Compare the following sentences:  Father bought him a car.  Father bought a car for him. (for him- Prep. Phrase)

 1. The automobile brought danger for drivers.  2. Accidents caused town officials great concern.  3. Towns quickly et low speed limits for motorists.  4. They soon gave speeders fines.  5. All motorists have a responsibility to their passengers and other drivers.

 1. drivers-obj of the prep  2. officials-indirect obj  3. motorists- obj of the prep  4. speeders- indirect obj  5. passengers, drivers- obj of the prep

 Subject complement-  is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb and tells something about the subject

 Follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of the sentence  Examples:  Ronnie will be the captain of our team. (the predicate noun captain renames the subject Ronnie)  Ford’s first car was the Model A.(the predicate noun Model A renames the subject car)  The two winners are they. (The predicate pronoun thy renames the subject winners)

 1. Europe was the home of some early automobiles.  2. Americans quickly became fans of the automobile.  3. Hartford and Cleveland were the cities in which the American auto industry began.  4. Many car models were poor designs.  5. Henry Ford was the man who had financial backing for his invention. 

 1. home  2. fans  3. cities  4. Designs  5. man

 A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes the subject of a sentence  It is considered part of a complete predicate of a sentence because it comes after a linking verb. In spite of this a predicate adjective does not modify the words in the predicate. Instead it describes the noun or pronoun that stands for the subject of the sentence.

 1. The flight to Houston was swift. (The predicate adjective swift describes flight)  2. The saleswoman seems very sensitive to the needs of her customers. (The predicate adjective sensitive describes the subject saleswoman)

 1. The assembly line was extremely efficient, constructing one car in ninety-three minutes.  2. However, the assembly line work was unpleasant.  3. Workers grew tired of the daily monotony and pressure of production quotas.  4. A monthly laborer turnover of 40 to 60 percent was inescapable.  5. Ford’s plan for doubling the daily wage was smart.

 1. efficient  2. unpleasant  3. tired  4. inescapable  5. smart

 Subject complements can be compound  It consists of two or more predicate nouns, predicate pronouns, or predicate adjectives  My two best friends are Phil and Mark.  The highway seems slick and icy.

 1. The Museum of Automobile History in Syracuse, New York, is exciting and interesting to people of all ages.  2. Information on thousands of cars is available and accessible to all visitors.  3. The display of collector’s items is sleek and huge.  4. The museum has become a historic sight and a showroom for classic cars.

 1. exciting, interesting /predicate adjectives  2. available, accessible/predicate adjectives  3. sleek, huge/predicate adjectives  4. site, showroom/ predicate nouns  5. attraction, site/ predicate nouns