Direct and Indirect Object Quiz

Level: Intermediate 

This direct and indirect object quiz will help you to identify the objects of a sentence. Review this lesson on direct and indirect objects before taking the quiz.

Tips for Finding Direct & Indirect Objects

These are some of the key things you need to keep in mind when working out the answers:

  • Direct objects receive the action of the verb (He passed the book)
  • Indirect objects are the receivers/recipients of the direct object (He passed his father the book)
  • Nouns and pronouns can be objects - not adjectives, adverbs or prepositional phrases
  • A clause can't have an indirect object without having a direct object
  • Only transitive verbs (action verbs) have direct objects
  • Intransitive verbs (e.g. linking verbs) do not

Ask yourself these questions if you are not sure:

  • You can find the direct object by finding the verb and asking "what?". (He passed what? The book)
  • Once you've found the direct object, find the indirect object by asking who or what received it. (Who received the book? His father)

Direct and Indirect Object Quiz

Instructions

Decide if the word in capitals is a direct object, indirect object, or neither.

1. The teacher passed THE STUDENT a pen.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

The student is the recipient of the direct object (the pen), and so is the indirect object of the sentence.

2. He gave John THE OPPORTUNITY to apply for the job.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

This answers the question 'gave what'? - The opportunity. So it's the direct object.

3. John seems ANNOYED.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

'Seems' is an intransitive verb so it cannot have an object. 'Annoyed' is an adjective, not a noun or a noun phrase to which the subject (John) performs an action.

4. Ian built Anne a nice HOUSE in the village.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

Ian built what? A house - so this is the direct object. The recipient of the house is Anne (the indirect object).

5. The students arrived at THE HALLS OF RESIDENCE in Cambridge.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

Though there is a noun (halls of residence), 'arrived' is an intransitive verb. 'At the halls of residence' is a prepositional phrase, not an object.

6. Mike gave HIS BROTHER a bike.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

The recipient of the bike is his brother.

7. Shall I read THE CHILDREN a story tonight?
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

"The children" is the indirect object. They are the recipients of the direct object, "a story."

8. The students returned to UNIVERSITY after the summer break.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

'Return' can be transitive or intransitive, but in this case it is intransitive. It's also followed by two prepositional phrases (to university' and 'after the summer break'). So there are no direct or indirect objects.

9. I drove THE CAR.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

There is only one noun (car) so there can't be an indirect object (remember if a sentence has an indirect object, it must also have a direct object). The direct object (car) is the receiver of the action and it answers the question "I drove what?".

10. His dad offered HIM his expensive watch for his 40th birthday.
Direct Object
Indirect Object
Neither
Correct!
Wrong!

His dad offered what? A watch. Who received it? Him.

More Sentence Structure Quizzes:



Join Us and get Free Grammar Tips into your Inbox!



New! Comments

Any questions or comments about the grammar discussed on this page?

Post your comment here.