DIRECT OBJECT:
function:
• a direct object is a noun phrase
• ask is the object acted upon or receiving action
• ask, "noun and verb whom/what?" and you only use the noun (and without any preposition) not the noun phrase when answering this question.
Most people greeted us warmly at the reception.
us is receiving the greeting
The crowd will cheer the President.
POTUS is receiving cheers
The children are enjoying Disneyland.
enjoyment is received even if the object is not alive, no...think, children are enjoying whom or what, ah Disney
At 7 P.M. we left for the theater.
the theater isn't being affected and isn't receiving anything...if the verb was drove then it would be a direct object, theater doesn't receive left.
I bought two bottles of Pepsi.
bottles are being brought/purchased and so acted upon / bottles are affected by the action
Actors must memorize their lines.
lines are being memorized
Jill and Sam have left with a friend.
Most people greeted us warmly at the reception.
most people who/what? most ppl greeted us
We were best friends in high school.
ask, we were who/what?
we were friends
or ask, are friends receiving an action? No (just a rating). are friends acted upon, , no.
My friend stopped at the grocery store.
the grocery store isn't receiving an action or being affected
Mr. Thomas slept well during the night.
night doesn't receive sleep and it isn't affected or changed by sleep
They walked in the woods till sunset.
woods is not receiving an action
Our plane had left on time.
time can't be acted upon, it's abstract
• only follow transitive action verbs, do not follow intransitive action verbs or linking verbs
• usually, immediately after the main verb or a preposition
• not all sentences with action verbs have direct objects
Prepositional Phrase:
to, for
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