What is a direct object?
Answer
A direct object is a noun or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb from the subject of a sentence.
Not all sentences have direct objects.
Example: She slept for twelve hours.
Example: The team is on their way home from the game.
Example: A celebrity walked into the store earlier.
Some sentences, however, have direct objects.
Example: I found my debit card in the driver's seat of my car.
Example: The school provided funds to pay for lunch on the field trip.
Example: After the pool party last week, you kept my towel.
Example: I gave a gift card to you on your birthday.
Remember: A direct object is something acted up on by the subject -- something that is a recipient of the verb's action. This is not to be confused with adverbs or prepositions that may follow a verb.
Example: He slept in the living room.
This sentence does NOT contain a direct object but instead has a prepositional phrase ("in the living room") that tells where he slept.
Example: He passed out quickly.
This sentence does NOT contain a direct object but instead has an adverb that tells how or to what degree he passed out.
Example: He got some rest last night.
This sentence DOES have a direct object: "rest." The subject of this sentence ("He") attained "rest"; therefore, "rest" is the direct object.