direct object vs. indirect object

direct object vs. indirect object: What's the difference?

Direct object refers to the person or thing to which the action of a sentence is being done. For example, in the sentence “He saw a horse,” “a horse” is the direct object. Some sentences also have indirect objects, which is usually to what or whom the action is being done. In the sentence “He sent a letter to me,” “a letter” is the direct object and “me” is the indirect object.

direct object

noun

a word or group of words representing the person or thing upon which the action of a verb is performed or toward which it is directed: in English, generally coming after the verb, without a preposition. In He saw it the pronoun it is the direct object of saw.

indirect object

noun

a word or group of words representing the person or thing with reference to which the action of a verb is performed, in English generally coming between the verb and the direct object and paraphrasable as the object of a preposition, usually to or for, following the direct object, as the boy in He gave the boy a book.