[Grammar] Direct Object Forms

[Trance Freak]

Could you please provide me with the different forms of the direct object?

Thanks.

 

[fighting spirit]

Direct object is the receiver of action withing a sentence.A direct object will follow a transitive verb [a type of action verb].

subject + verb + what? or who? = direct object

Mike and Laura played soccer with many difficulties.

Mike, Laura = subjects; played = verb. Mike and Laura played what? Soccer = direct object.

Direct objects can also follow verbals—infinitives, gerunds, and participles.
verbal + what? or who? = direct object

To see magnified blood cells, Gus squinted into the microscope on the lab table.
To see = infinitive. To see what? Blood cells = direct object.


Other examples:

He left her all his money.
My friend sold me his book.

 

[Trance Freak]

Thanks, but I already know these stuff. :roll:
Just asking about the forms of the direct object...

 

[corum]

Thanks, but I already know these stuff. :roll:
Just asking about the forms of the direct object...

I can't think of anything, apart from a NP, that can realize a DO.

 

[fighting spirit]

The four grammatical forms that can function as the direct object are:

Noun phrases
I sometimes give my cat fish.


Prepositional phrases
My mom cleaned under the bed.
Your father will be decorating on the roof.


Verb phrases
Most librarians enjoy reading.
The baby likes listening to music.


Noun clauses
I admire how you work full time and attend graduate school.

If that's what you are asking.

 

[corum]

Prepositional phrases
My mom cleaned under the bed.
Your father will be decorating on the roof.

They are definitely not direct objects. They are optional adjuncts. The main verbs are used intransitively in your sentences. It is not 'under the table' that receives the cleaning. It is not 'on the roof' that receives the decorating. Otherwise I am at one with you. Non-finite clauses can fill the DO slot.

 

[Raymott]

Don't forget pronouns.
I like her.

 

[corum]

Don't forget pronouns.
I like her.

A pronoun is actually a (PRO-)NP.

 

[fighting spirit]

I don't agree with you. The main verbs are not used intransitively, and sure these are direct objects.

Adjuncts are optional elements, since their omission still leaves a complete sentence. That's not the case with the following sentence:

Your father will be decorating the roof.

In the following sentence:
I'm reading the book
would you say that the book is not an object but adjunct?

 

[corum]

I don't agree with you. The main verbs are not used intransitively, and sure these are direct objects.

Adjuncts are optional elements, since their omission still leaves a complete sentence. That's not the case with the following sentence:

Your father will be decorating the roof.

This is one of your original sentences:

Your father will be decorating on the roof.

And now you have brought into your argument a sentence with a different meaning and a different structure. Why?

Your father will be decorating on the roof. -- Decorate where? --> adjunct
Your father will be decorating the roof. -- Decorate what? --> DO

Now you see my point I trust.

EDIT:

subject + verb + what? or who? = direct object

:up:

On the roof = what :down:
on the roof = who :down:

 

[Raymott]

I agree that "Prepositional Phrases" is wrong.
But what about "Verbal Phrases". They are all gerunds - nouns. Are phrases beginning with gerunds called verbal/verb phrases?

 

[corum]

I agree that "Prepositional Phrases" is wrong.

How about this, Ray? ;-)

A: Are you going on holiday before or after Easter?
B: I prefer before Easter.
A: What do you prefer?
B: (The period) before Easter.

Fighting Spirit's examples for prepositional phrases functioning as a direct object is clearly wrong. I rarely witness such nonsense argued by an English teacher with so much confidence and aplomb. Her argument she presents in this thread is a veritable wonder in the annals of linguistic sophistry, as Philo would put it.

But what about "Verbal Phrases". They are all gerunds - nouns. Are phrases beginning with gerunds called verbal/verb phrases?

Not all VPs are gerunds. A gerund clause can serve as a direct object too. Also infinitive clauses -- or small clauses, their truncated version -- like this:

I consider [you (to be) an excellent grammarian]

 

[Raymott]

How about this, Ray? ;-)

A: Are you going on holiday before or after Easter?
B: I prefer before Easter.
A: What do you prefer?
B: (The period) before Easter.
I wouldn't call "before Easter" a direct object.

Fighting Spirit's examples for prepositional phrases functioning as a direct object is clearly wrong.
That's what I said:
I agree [with you] that [fighting spirit's] "Prepositional Phrases" is wrong. That is, it's wrong to list prepositional phrases.With these terms, I was referring to the categories in fighting spirit's post.
Are you saying that some prepositional phrases (like 'before Easter') are direct objects but that the ones in fighting spirit's examples aren't?


Not all VPs are gerunds.
I was asking whether the gerund phrases in fighting spirit's post, labelled as "Verb Phrases" were actually verb phrases.

A gerund clause can serve as a direct object too. Also infinitive clauses -- or small clauses, their truncated version -- like this:

I consider [you (to be) an excellent grammarian]
Does the following sentence contain a verb phrase?
Most librarians enjoy reading.

R.

 

[philo2009]

The four grammatical forms that can function as the direct object are:


Prepositional phrases
My mom cleaned under the bed.
Your father will be decorating on the roof.

Sorry, but a prepositional phrase cannot ever be properly said to function as the direct object of a verb!

'Under the bed' and 'on the roof' here are mere adverbial adjuncts to verbs that can be both transitive and (as here) intransitive.

A: What are you doing?
B: I'm cleaning.
A: Where are you cleaning?
A: Under the bed.