Direct Objects Predicate Nouns Predicate Adjectives
Direct Objects A direct object receives the action of an action verb.
Direct Objects It answers the question “What?” or “Whom?”
Direct Objects To find the direct object, first identify the action verb of the sentence.
The boy hit the ball. In this sentence, what is the action verb?
The boy hit the ball. In this sentence, what is the action verb? Action verb: hit
The boy hit the ball. Now ask yourself the question, “What or whom did the boy hit?”
The boy hit the ball. The boy hit the ball, so ball is the direct object. It receives the action of the verb.
PracticeTime
In the following sentences, first identify the action verb. Then identify the direct object.
Susan answered the phone.
Action verb: answered
Susan answered the phone. Action verb: answered Direct object: phone
What did Susan answer? The phone
Yesterday I spoke with John.
Action verb: spoke
Yesterday I spoke with John. Action verb: spoke Direct object: John
With whom did I speak? John
Bob walks his dog after school.
Action verb: walks
Bob walks his dog after school. Action verb: walks Direct object: dog
Who does Bob walk? His dog
The dog ate the bone.
Action verb: ate
The dog ate the bone. Action verb: ate Direct object: bone
What did the dog eat? The bone
The student did her homework.
Action verb: did
The student did her homework. Action verb: did Direct object: homework
What did the student do? Her homework
Predicate Nouns A predicate noun names the subject. It follows a linking verb.
Predicate Nouns It answers the question “What?” or “How?”
I am a teacher.
The linking verb is am. Now ask yourself, “What am I?”
I am a teacher. I am a teacher, so teacher is the predicate noun.
Predicate Adjectives A predicate adjective describes the subject. It also follows a linking verb.
Predicate Adjectives It also answers the question “What?” or “How?”
I am hungry.
The linking verb is am. Now ask yourself, “What am I?”
I am hungry. I am hungry, so hungry is the predicate adjective.
PracticeTime
In each of the following sentences, the linking verb is underlined. Identify the predicate noun or predicate adjective.
Sarah was happy yesterday morning.
What was she?
Sarah was happy yesterday morning. What was she? happy
Sarah was happy yesterday morning. What was she? happy Predicate adjective
Bill and Sally are engineers.
What are they?
Bill and Sally are engineers. What are they? engineers
Bill and Sally are engineers. What are they? engineers Predicate noun
They were absent from school.
What were they?
They were absent from school. What were they? absent
They were absent from school. What were they? absent Predicate adjective
The rose smells fresh.
How does it smell?
The rose smells fresh. How does it smell? fresh
The rose smells fresh. How does it smell? fresh Predicate adjective
She is an actress.
What is she?
She is an actress. What is she? An actress
She is an actress. What is she? An actress Predicate noun
Title image courtesy of Microsoft Office Online.