Indirect Object Examples

To review, nouns name people, places, things, and ideas.

Nouns can function as indirect objects. An indirect object is the recipient of the direct object. Not all sentences have indirect objects.

If the sentence has an indirect object, it will always come between the verb and the direct object. If there is information after the direct object about who received it, that is most likely a prepositional phrase (Jeff threw the ball to Mark.). A prepositional phrase cannot be an indirect object.

To find an indirect object:

1) Find the verb. Is it an action verb?

2) If it is an action verb, put the verb in the blank and ask "____ who or what?" Now, you have found the direct object.

3) Now, ask "to whom or for whom"? If the sentence tells you the answer to this question, you have found an indirect object.

Example of indirect object with explanation:

Example: Jeff threw Mark the ball.

Jeff is the subject. What did Jeff throw? The ball is the direct object. Who received the ball? Mark is the indirect object.

Below are some additional examples of sentences with indirect objects.

1) Dad made Will a sandwich. (For whom was the sandwich made?) Will

2) Mrs. Peterson assigned the class 10 math problems. (To whom were the math problems assigned?) the class

3) Phillip gave the dog a bone. (To whom was a bone given?) the dog

4) Mom read Katie a book. (To whom was the book read?) Katie

5) Ian bought Sarah a flower. (For whom was the flower bought?) Sarah

6) Nana gave Tim a bath. (To whom was a bath given?) Tim

7) Mrs. Thorn made Beverly a cake. (For whom was a cake made?) Beverly

8) Eli poured Mary some water. (For whom was the water poured?) Mary