Direct and indirect object exercises

Test your knowledge with exercises and activities on direct and indirect objects. Check out the commented answers.

question 1

(PUC) In: “Because I will continue to call war to all this scrambled age of unprecedented values…", the highlighted expressions are, respectively:

a) direct object, indirect object.
b) predicative, indirect object.
c) direct object, prepositioned direct object.
d) predicative, pleonastic direct object.
e) direct object, indirect object.

See Answer

Correct alternative: b) predicative, indirect object.

The verb "to call", meaning "to give a name", is transitive and is accompanied by the predicative of the object (to call war). This predicative could be prepositioned (call in war).

"to all this scrambled epoch" is an indirect object because it is linked to the verb "to call" through the preposition "a".

question 2

(Mackenzie) Among the alternatives below, point to the only one in which one of the terms corresponds to the given analysis: "The color combinations in the blue of the sky seemed infinite."

a) Seemed is an intransitive verb.
b) Infinite is a direct object.
c) Colors is the core of the subject.
d) From heaven is the nominal complement.
e) n.d.a.

See Answer

Correct alternative: e) n.d.a.

Let's syntactically analyze the sentence above:

• Looked like - connecting verb.
• infinite - predicative of the object.
• color combinations - subject, with "combinations" being its core.
• in the blue of the sky - adverbial adjunct.

question 3

(UFMG) Note:

1. I really wanted that toy.
He loved his friend very much.

2. I slept a lot tonight.
Slept a pleasant sleep.

From these examples, explain the following statement: “The analysis of verbal transitivity is done according to the text and not in isolation”.

See Answer

Verbs must be classified according to their context. The verb "to sleep", for example, is intransitive, but the same is not the case with the verb "want", which can be either direct transitive or indirect transitive, as seen in the clauses above.

The verb "want", with the meaning of "desiring", is direct transitive, as is the case with: I really wanted that toy.
The verb "querer", with the meaning of "estimate", is an indirect transitive because it is linked to the verb by preposition, as in the case of: Wanted very much to the friend.

question 4

(Unimar) Correctly classify the highlighted integral terms

woman who to two love, the both deceives.

a) prepositioned direct object and prepositioned direct object.
b) indirect object and direct object.
c) pleonastic indirect object and nominal complement.
d) direct object and prepositioned direct object.
e) prepositioned direct object and indirect object

See Answer

Correct alternative: a) prepositioned direct object and prepositioned direct object.

The verb "to love" is direct transitive, however, it can be prepositioned when you want to emphasize the message. The same happens with the verb "to deceive", which is also direct transitive (Who deceives, deceives someone, and not The somebody).

question 5

(Cesesp-PE, Adapted) To classify the verbs in the excerpt below as to their predication, fill in the blanks, obeying the following instruction.

a) intransitive.
b) direct transitive.
c) indirect transitive.
d) direct and indirect transitive.

You shall live ____ and forever, / in the land which you hereafter ____: and you shall have ____ at last your garden.

The alternative that contains the correct sequence is:

a) a, a, b.
b) a, b, b.
c) b, a, b.
d) b, d, c.
e) b, b, b.

See Answer

Correct alternative: a) a, a, b.

• "To live" is an intransitive verb, because it doesn't need a complement.
• "Aforar", which means conferring rights, in the above context is an intransitive verb.
• "To have" is a transitive verb, because it needs a complement to make sense.

question 6

(UFV) In the phrase "She attributes a guilt that she does not have", the pronoun if is classified as:

a) passive pronoun.
b) subject's indeterminacy index.
c) direct object.
d) indirect object.
e) expletive or enhancement particle.

See Answer

Correct alternative: d) indirect object.

If we substitute the pronoun "if", the sentence would be: It attributes herself a guilt you don't have.

Note that whoever attributes, attributes something to someone. Thus, the verb "attribute" is an indirect transitive verb, because it needs two complements, one of which is linked to the verb by preposition. Therefore, the pronoun "if" has the function of an indirect object.

question 7

(Merchant Marine School) In the period "Fulfill with obligations, certainly", the syntactic function of the underlined element is:

a) nominal complement.
b) direct object.
c) prepositioned direct object.
d) indirect object.

See Answer

Correct alternative: c) prepositioned direct object.

The verb "comply" is a direct transitive, because whoever fulfills, fulfills something, that is, the verb does not need a verbal complement linked with a preposition.

In the sentence above the direct object was prepositioned, because instead of "comply with the obligations", it is "comply with with the obligations". This was done in order to emphasize the message.

question 8

(UGF) Check the only case in which the unstressed oblique pronoun plays the role of indirect object:

a) I held back.
b) He was waiting for me early on.
c) This pleases me.
d) The student saw me.
e) Help me.

See Answer

Correct alternative: c) This pleases me.

The unstressed oblique pronoun "me" can have the function of a direct or indirect object:

• "Containing" something or someone - direct object.
• "Wait" for something or someone - direct object.
• "To please", in the sense of causing satisfaction, as in the sentence "This pleases me", is an indirect transitive verb. If the verb "please" had the meaning of caressing, it would be direct transitive: The outing pleased the children, but not the husband.
• "See" something or someone - direct object.
• "Rescue" something or someone - direct object.

question 9

(UniFMU) Check the alternative that contains, respectively, a personal pronoun of the straight case functioning as a subject and a personal pronoun of the oblique case functioning as a direct object.

a) I started the reform of nature by this little bird.
b) And once again I was convinced of the "torture" of these things.
c) Everyone taught her to respect Nature.
d) She teaches them to make nests in trees.
e) She didn't convince anyone of that.

See Answer

Correct alternative: d) She teaches them to make nests in trees.

The personal pronouns of the straight case are: I, you, he (a), we, you, they (as). In addition to alternative d), these pronouns also appear with the subject function in alternatives a) and e).

The personal pronouns of the oblique case are: me, me, with me, you, you, with you, the (s), the (s), if, him (s), he (s), she (s), si, nos, we, with us, you, you, with you. In addition to alternative d), these pronouns also appear with the subject function in alternatives b) and c).

question 10

Rate the highlighted terms from the following sentences:

OD - direct object
OI - indirect object

a) Changes bother to all.
b) we need of peace.
c) I paid all my debts.
d) To parents, respectthem.

See Answer

a) OD. However, this direct object is prepositioned, because "bother" doesn't need a preposition, but it was used in this case to emphasize the message.
b) Hi. The verbal complement needs to be linked by preposition to make sense.
c) OD. The verbal complement does not need to be linked by preposition to make sense.
It hurts. We are faced with a pleonastic indirect object, which happens when objects are repeated for prominence in the prayer. "To the parents" is an indirect object, while "to them" is the pleonastic indirect object.

Read too:

• Direct object
• indirect object
• Direct and Indirect Object: examples and exercises