Nouns as Direct Object

You may need to say who or what was directly affected by the action. In the example in my other article before this one, 'the vat' was the thing acted upon or affected by the action. We say that 'the cat' is the direct object of the verb 'stroked'.

  Not all verbs need direct objects. If a verb takes a direct object we call it a transitive verb. If it does not take a direct object, we say the verb is intransitive. Some verbs may act sometimes as transitive verbs, and at other times may be intransitive. If you loom in your dictionary,  you may find this indicated. In some dictionaries v.I and v.t. written  after the verb mean that the verb can be used either transitively or intransitively, that is , with or without a direct object.

Example: (I) the degree blew the whistle.

The verb 'blew' governs ' the direct object ' the whistle',; 'blew' is therefore transitive.

(ii) the  whistle blew.

Here the verb ' blew ' does not have a direct object. It is therefore being intransitively.

Exercise II

Supply a direct object for the verb to fill the blank in each of these sentences.

(a) He is studying............ at the university

(b) Ugo's Father drives a ......... 

(c) The hunter carried the .............over his shoulder.

(d) Poor students should never waste...........

(e) This pay rise doesn't affect.......................