Direct and Indirect Objects, Subject
Complements (Predicate Nominatives
and Predicate Adjectives)
Understand
what a
complement is in grammar
Understand
the verb
complements (direct objects
and indirect objects)
a.
a noun, pronoun, or an adjective that
completes the thought of a sentence
Example: Sara brought.
Though the sentence is complete (it has a
subject and a verb), we do not know WHAT
Sara brought. . . So we add a complement
to the verb. . .
Example: Sara brought a doll.
*Remember: A complement will always be a
noun, pronoun, or adjective. It can not be an
adverb or prepositional phrase.
Now, lets complete the sentences with some of
our own complements. . . .
I
met _____________.
 Joseph is a smart ____________.
 The music sounded _____________.
 Kelly’s friend is a _____________.
 The day looks ____________.
a.
b.
c.
Verb complements finish the thought of an
action verb.
Verb complements must ALWAYS follow an
action verb.
The first type of verb complement is called
the direct object:
EXAMPLE: Brenda caught the ball.
FORMULA: Action verb + What? or Who? = Direct object
OR
AV + What/Who? = DO
 Practice!
Find the direct objects.
1. Mrs. Baker gave me a ride to the game.
A: ride
2. Have you bought your tickets yet?
A: tickets
3. My mother won’t buy me a dirt bike.
A: dirt bike
4. Can you loan me five dollars?
A: dollars
5. Let’s eat some chips with the salsa!
A: chips
6. I do not like green eggs and ham.
A: eggs, ham
7. Can I play baseball with Tom and Greg?
A: baseball
8. Fold your desks up, please.
A: desks
9. Susan took the beautiful painting down.
A: painting
10.My aunt sent my cousin and me a postcard
A. postcard
from Florida.
d. The second type of verb complement is called the indirect
object:
Example: Jake brought Matthew a soda for his
birthday.
In order to find the indirect object, you must first find the direct
object. A sentence can not have an indirect object without a direct
object!
Direct object = soda
Now ask your self, given “to whom/what or for whom/what?” The
answer is the indirect object.
Indirect object = Matthew
FORMULA: DO + to whom/what or for whom/what? = IO
 Practice!
Find the indirect objects.
1. Mrs. Baker gave me a ride to the game.
A: me
2. Have you bought Laura her tickets yet?
A: Laura
3. My mother won’t buy my brother or me a dirt bike. A:brother, me
4. Can you loan that student five dollars?
A: student
5. Greg ate some chips with Bob and Dan.
A: N/A
6. Give those little boys the basketball.
A: boys
7. Can I play baseball with Tom and Greg?
A: N/A
8. My grandfather left my cousin his pocket watch.
A: cousin
9. Susan took Rosa a bouquet of flowers.
A: Rosa
10.My aunt sent my cousin and me a postcard
A. cousin, me
from Florida.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Complements will never be found
inside of a prepositional phrase.
Verb complements (direct and
indirect object) must follow an
action verb.
Complements may be compound
(more than one).
An indirect object must have a
direct object.
Understand
what a
complement is in grammar
Understand
the verb
complements (direct objects
and indirect objects)