Analyze the following scheme, point out the elements of the sentence and the predicative construction. Compare it to the scheme of the same construction with the Infinitive

Objects in English Grammar

Verbs and prepositions can have objects

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 This sentence (from the novel Crow Lake by Mary Lawson) contains three types of objects: (1) direct objects ( book, twice); (2) indirect objects ( me, twice); and (3) objects of a preposition ( insects and frogs).

 ThoughtCo

By 

Richard Nordquist

Updated July 08, 2019

In English grammar, an object is a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun that is affected by the action of a verb. Objects give our language detail and texture by allowing the creation of complex sentences. Prepositions also have objects.

Types of Objects

Objects can function three ways within a sentence. The first two are easy to spot because they follow the verb:

1. 
   Direct objects are the results of action. A subject does something, and the product is the object itself. For example, consider this sentence: "Marie wrote a poem." In this case, the noun "poem" follows the transitive verb "wrote" and completes the meaning of the sentence.
   
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   Indirect objects receive or respond to the outcome of an action. Consider this example: "Marie sent me an email." The pronoun "me" comes after the verb "sent" and before the noun "email," which is the direct object in this sentence. The indirect object always goes before the direct object.
   
3. 
   Objects of a preposition are nouns and pronouns in a phrase that modifies the meaning of a verb. For instance: "Marie lives in a dorm." In this sentence, the noun "dorm" follows the preposition "in." Together, they form a prepositional phrase.
   

Objects can function in active and passive voice. A noun that serves as a direct object in the active voice becomes the subject when the sentence is rewritten in the passive voice. For example:

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  Active: Bob purchased a new grill.
  
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  Passive: A new grill was purchased by Bob.
  

This characteristic, called passivization, is what makes objects unique. Not sure if a word is an object? Try converting it from active to passive voice; if you can, the word is an object.