Direct & Indirect Objects!

Direct and Indirect Objects Explained: A Fun Grammar Guide for 5th Graders

Ever tried building a LEGO set without all the pieces? That’s kind of what it’s like writing a sentence without the right parts. Just like every LEGO brick matters, every word in a sentence plays a role — especially when it comes to direct and indirect objects. These two parts help bring your sentences to life!

If you’re a 5th grader curious about grammar (or a parent or teacher helping out), this blog is your go-to guide. We’ll break things down with fun examples, games, and tips you can use right away. Let’s make grammar something you’ll actually enjoy!

What Are Direct and Indirect Objects?

Understanding Sentence Building Blocks

To get a good grip on direct and indirect objects, you first need to understand how basic sentences work. Every solid sentence has a few main ingredients:

• A subject: who or what the sentence is about.
• A verb: the action or what’s being done.
• And sometimes… objects: the things or people involved in the action.

Let’s peek at a simple example:

Example:

Jason kicked the ball.

• Jason is the subject (he’s doing the kicking).
• Kicked is the verb (what Jason did).
• The ball is the object (what got kicked).

But sometimes, a sentence has two objects. That’s where things get interesting! Those are the direct and indirect objects, and they each have their own role.

What Is a Direct Object?

The direct object is the person, place, or thing that receives the action directly. In other words, it’s the “what” or “whom” the verb is acting on.

Example:

Maya drew a picture.

• Maya = subject
• Drew = verb
• What did she draw? A picture = direct object

Direct objects help tell the full story of the action.

What Is an Indirect Object?

Now, here’s where the second player comes in. An indirect object is the person or thing that benefits from or receives the direct object.

Let’s add more detail to the sentence above:

Example:
Maya drew her friend a picture.

• Drew = verb
• Picture = direct object (what was drawn)
• Her friend = indirect object (who got the picture)

Think of it this way: the indirect object usually tells you for whom or to whom something is being done.

How to Spot Direct Objects in Sentences

Use the “What?” or “Whom?” Test

Here’s a cool trick: once you find the verb in the sentence, ask either:

• “What?”
• “Whom?”

The answer is usually your direct object.

Example:
Oliver washed his hands.

• Washed what? His hands = direct object

Example:
Luna found a kitten.

• Found what? A kitten = direct object

This test works almost every time, especially when you’re dealing with action verbs.

🎯 Kid-Friendly Direct Object Examples

Sentence	Verb	Ask "What?" or "Whom?"	Direct Object
Sam built a robot.	built	Built what?	a robot
Zoe read a book.	read	Read what?	a book
I packed my lunch.	packed	Packed what?	my lunch

Want to try a few yourself?

Let’s play a quick practice round:

1. Emma ate a sandwich.
2. The dog chased the squirrel.
3. We played a new video game.

What are the direct objects?

• Sandwich
• Squirrel
• New video game

See how easy that was?

How to Find Indirect Objects with Ease

Ask “To Whom?” or “For Whom?”

Once you’ve found the direct object, you’re halfway there! The next step is to ask:

• “To whom?”
• “For whom?”

That answer? It’s your indirect object.

Example:
Liam gave his teacher a gift.

• Verb = gave
• Gave what? A gift (direct object)
• Gave it to whom? His teacher (indirect object)

The indirect object shows who received the gift.

Let’s see another one:

Example:
I told my friend a secret.

• Told what? A secret = direct object
• Told to whom? My friend = indirect object

Examples of Indirect Objects in Action

Sentence	Verb	Direct Object	Indirect Object
Dad made us pancakes.	made	pancakes	us
She sent Grandma a card.	sent	a card	Grandma
I showed Mia my project.	showed	my project	Mia

It’s all about figuring out who benefits from the action. Indirect objects often come right before the direct object in a sentence.

Try these on your own:

1. Caleb brought his mom flowers.
2. The coach gave the team new jerseys.
3. We told our teacher the answer.

Who are the indirect objects?

• His mom
• The team
• Our teacher

You’re getting the hang of it!

Why Knowing Direct and Indirect Objects Is Super Useful

They Add Meaning and Details to Your Sentences

Think about it: a sentence without an object can feel… well, empty.

Compare these two:

• Sarah wrote. (Wrote what?)
• Sarah wrote a poem. (Ahh, that makes more sense!)                                                                                 And even better:
• Sarah wrote her grandmother a poem. (Now we know what and for whom!)

Objects give your sentences purpose. They fill in the missing pieces so your reader knows exactly what’s happening.

They Help You Write and Speak Better

The more you understand sentence parts like direct and indirect objects, the easier it is to:

• Build stronger paragraphs
• Express yourself clearly
• Avoid confusing grammar mistakes
• Tell richer stories

It’s like learning to ride a bike. Once you’ve got balance, you can go anywhere. The same goes for grammar — get the basics right, and you’ll be unstoppable!

Simple Tricks to Remember Direct and Indirect Objects

D-I-O Rule: Direct Comes Before Indirect (Usually)

Here’s a trick to help you remember the order:

• Direct object = what’s being acted on
• Indirect object = who’s receiving it
• Order matters!

Example:
Alexa handed her brother a towel.

• Towel = direct object
• Her brother = indirect object

Just like that, your sentence flows smoothly!

Use a Sentence Map or Diagram

For visual learners, drawing a little map helps a ton. Try this:

Sophie → gave → her cousin → a gift  
Subject → Verb → Indirect Object → Direct Object

Draw arrows between the parts. Label each one. You’ll quickly start to see how the parts fit together like puzzle pieces.