Subject and Object in English | Identifying the subject and object | direct and indirect object

Subject

The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is performing the action or being described. The subject usually comes before the verb in a sentence.

Examples:

1. She runs every morning. (She is the subject performing the action of running.)

2. The cat is sleeping on the couch. (The cat is the subject being described.)

Object

The object of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that is affected by the action of the verb. Objects can be direct or indirect.

- Direct Object: Receives the action of the verb directly.

- Indirect Object: Receives the action of the verb indirectly, typically indicating to whom or for whom the action is done.

Examples:

1. Direct Object: She kicked the ball. (The ball is the object receiving the action of being kicked.)

2. Indirect Object: He gave her a gift. (Her is the indirect object receiving the gift.)

Identifying Subjects and Objects

To identify the subject, ask "Who or what is performing the action?" 

To identify the direct object, ask "What or whom is receiving the action?"

Means, reply of Who or What is the Subject of the sentence and reply of What or Whom is the Object of the sentence.

Examples in Sentences

1. John (subject) threw the frisbee (direct object) to his friend (indirect object).

2. The teacher (subject) explained the lesson (direct object) to the students (indirect object).

Note: Subject and object of a sentence can only be noun or pronoun.