1
Direct object: The editor revised the manuscript. “The manuscript” receives the action of revised.
8 Object Examples
Use these examples to study structure, specificity, tone, and variation. They are demonstrations—not claims about a real person or organization unless the example itself makes that explicit.
Before you copy
What to notice in the examples
Correct object identification makes sentence structure easier to analyze because it distinguishes the doer from the receiver and helps writers choose pronoun case, verb patterns, and clause structure accurately.
- Identify the grammatical job object is doing in the sentence rather than judging it by appearance alone.
- Check the words immediately around the object for agreement, punctuation, attachment, or boundary clues that determine whether the construction is correct.
- Read the complete sentence for clarity and rhythm after editing the object, because a technically valid form can still be awkward or ambiguous.
2
Object of a preposition: We sent the draft to Maya. “Maya” is the object of the preposition to.
3
Pronoun object: The manager called him after lunch. “Him,” not “he,” functions as the object.
4
Two objects: The trainer gave the interns feedback. “The interns” is indirect; “feedback” is direct.
5
Infinitive complement: She wants to leave. The infinitive phrase completes the verb wants rather than acting as a simple noun object.
6
Clause as object: I know that the deadline changed. The that-clause completes the meaning of know.
7
No object needed: The audience laughed. Laughed is complete without an object.
8
Passive check: The manuscript was revised by the editor. The former direct object becomes the grammatical subject in passive voice.
Keep the underlying decision or pattern, then replace the subject, evidence, relationship, constraints, and tone with details that belong to your situation. If your final line still works after swapping only one noun, it may be too close to the example.