What Is a Direct Object?
The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb in a sentence.
Directing the Direct Object: Understanding its Role in a Sentence
In a sentence, the direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. It answers questions such as, "What or whom is being acted upon?" and generally follows the verb and any adverb that comes between the verb and the direct object. For example, consider the sentence: The dog chased the cat. Here, "the cat" is the direct object, as it is the item that is being chased by the dog. Without a direct object, a sentence may be grammatically incorrect or lack meaning. For instance, consider the sentence: She wrote. Here, without a direct object to explain what she wrote, the sentence is incomplete and leaves the reader with more questions than answers.
"I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." In this iconic quote, Daisy is the direct object as she's the one who will potentially be a fool.
"I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all." Phrases that work as a direct object include gerunds ("I'd just be the catcher") and all, as in this quote from Salinger's classic novel.