Direct and indirect objects are verbal complements that complete the sense of transitive verbs. One of these complements, the indirect object, is necessarily accompanied by a preposition, while the direct object is most often not accompanied by a preposition.
What is direct object?
Direct object is the complement that links to the transitive verb without the aid of a preposition (read books, buy books, sell books).
Prepositioned direct object
The direct object does not need a preposition, but in some cases it may be accompanied by a preposition - for stylistic reasons or to avoid ambiguities.
The difference between direct and indirect object is that the presence of the preposition is mandatory in the indirect object; otherwise, it doesn't make sense. The direct object does not need the preposition, but in some cases it can be used.
Examples of prepositioned direct object:
the brother the sister forgave.
Forgive is a direct transitive verb, as it needs a complement without a preposition requirement. However, in the prayer “Brother the sister forgave” it is not clear who forgave whom, which does not happen with the presence of the preposition in the prayer (To the brother the sister forgave.), in which it is possible to see that the sister forgave the brother.
I did what I promised.
Fulfill is a direct transitive verb, as it needs a complement without a preposition requirement. What did I do? I kept what I promised.
In this case, the presence of the preposition “with” only serves to emphasize the message that communicates the fulfillment of a promise.
What is an indirect object?
Indirect object is the complement that connects to the transitive verb through a mandatory preposition (I believe in you, I will à school I need in Water)
Oblique pronouns with the function of direct and indirect objects
Oblique pronouns can play the role of verbal complements as follows:
- Direct object: o, a, os, as.
- Indirect object: you, them.
- Direct object or indirect object: me, te, if, us, vos.
Examples of oblique pronoun with direct object function:
I invited them to dinner (The oblique pronoun “os” plays the role of direct object, because it could be replaced by "the friends", for example, which is a complement without the aid of a preposition - I invited the friends to dinner.).
Examples of oblique pronoun with indirect object function:
The book interested him. (The oblique pronoun “lhe” plays the role of an indirect object, because it could be replaced by “to him”, which is a complement that needs a preposition - The book interests him.).
Examples of oblique pronoun with direct or indirect object function:
She hugged him. (The oblique pronoun “lhe” performs the function of a direct object, because it could be replaced by “the son”, for example, which is a complement without the help of a preposition - Embraced the son.).
I handed him the card. (The oblique pronoun “lhe” plays the role of an indirect object, because it could be replaced by “à cliente”, which is a complement that needs a preposition - I delivered the card to the customer.).
Direct and indirect object examples
- João reported the incident to the customer. ("the incident" is a direct object, "to the customer" is an indirect object)
- Ana lent the book to her colleague. ("the book" is a direct object, "to the colleague" is an indirect object)
- The tourist paid the seller for the fruit. ("fruit" is a direct object, "to the seller" is an indirect object)
- Maria finished her duties for her daughter. ("the duties" is a direct object, "to the daughter" is an indirect object)
- She has not received the order from the supplier. ("the order" is a direct object, "the supplier" is an indirect object)
- She returned the book to the library. ("the book" is a direct object, "to the library" is an indirect object)
- I prefer sweet to salty. ("sweet" is a direct object, "salty" is an indirect object)
- Ana communicated the accident to the listeners. ("the accident" is a direct object, "to the listeners" is an indirect object)
- The mother did the shopping with her daughter. ("shopping" is a direct object, "with the daughter" is an indirect object)
- She revealed the details to the police. ("to the police" is an indirect object, "the details" is a direct object)
Direct and indirect object exercises
Classify the verbal complements to the prayers below, as per the caption:
VTD - Direct Transitive Verb
VTI - Indirect Transitive Verb
VTDI - Direct and Indirect Transitive Verb
1. The hungry boy ate the cake.
VTD - Direct Transitive Verb
The hungry boy ate what? The cake (“the cake” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
2. I thanked the couple for the invitation.
VTDI - Direct and Indirect Transitive Verb
What did I appreciate? The invitation (“the invitation” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
Thanked who? To the bride and groom (“to the bride and groom” is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition “a”).
3. The bride loves him very much.
VTD - Direct Transitive Verb
Who does the bride love? In this case, the oblique pronoun “o” plays the role of a direct object, because it could be replaced by “groom”, for example (The bride loves the groom a lot).
4. I like sweets.
VTI - Indirect Transitive Verb
What do I like? Sweets (“from sweets” is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition “de”).
5. To the children the father advises.
VTD - Direct Transitive Verb
Advise is a direct transitive verb, as it needs a complement without a preposition requirement. However, in the prayer “The children the father advises” it is not clear who advises whom, which does not happen with the presence of the preposition in the prayer (To the children the father advises.), in which it is possible to see that the father advises the sons.
6. I shared the news with the visitors.
VTDI - Direct and Indirect Transitive Verb
Did I tell you what? The novelties (“the novelties” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
Did I tell who? To visits (“to visits” is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition “a”).
7. I doubted him.
VTI - Indirect Transitive Verb
I doubted who? Dele ("his" is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition "of" - of + he = his).
8. I don't believe you.
VTI - Indirect Transitive Verb
I don't believe who? In you (“in you” is an indirect object, since it completes the verb through the preposition “in”).
9. The messages, I read them all.
VTD - Direct Transitive Verb
What have I read? The messages (“the messages” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
At the same time, the oblique pronoun “as” plays the role of direct object. In this case, the pronoun was used to reinforce that the messages were read (“I read them all” or “I read all messages”). Because it is intended to highlight the object, it is called a pleonastic object; and since it refers to a direct object, we call it a pleonastic direct object.
10. Need affection.
VTI - Indirect Transitive Verb
What do you need? De affection ("de affection" is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition "de").
11. Did he slap you?
VTDI - Direct and Indirect Transitive Verb
What did he give? A tapa (“a tapa” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
Who did he slap? In this case, the oblique pronoun “te” plays the role of an indirect object, because it could be replaced by “in you”, for example (Did he slap you?).
12. I lent Maria all my books.
VTDI - Direct and Indirect Transitive Verb
Borrow what? All my books (“all my books” is a direct object, as it completes the verb without the aid of a preposition).
I loaned all my books to whom? For Maria (“for Maria” is an indirect object, as it completes the verb through the preposition “to”).
Noyou havemoredoubts!Read too:
- Direct and indirect object exercises
- Verbal Transitivity Exercises
- Direct and indirect transitive verb
- Direct object
- indirect object
