The object
You learn to find the object: who or what the verb is done to.
How to do the test
- Find the verb and the subject.
- Ask who or what the subject does the verb to.
- The answer is the object.
A worked example
Tap the object. Our dog chased the cat.
- Find the subject and the verb: our dog chased.
- Ask who or what our dog chased: the cat.
- The object receives the action of the verb.
- The cat is the object.
More examples
Tap the object. The children painted a big picture.
- Find the subject and the verb: the children painted.
- Ask who or what the children painted: a big picture.
- The object receives the action of the verb.
- A big picture is the object.
Tap the object. Yesterday, we watched a funny film.
- Find the subject and the verb: we watched.
- Ask who or what we watched: a funny film.
- The object receives the action of the verb.
- A funny film is the object.
Watch out
You tap the noun at the end of an adverbial, like the garden in in the garden.
The garden belongs to in, not to the verb. Ask who or what the subject ate. The answer is the object.
Tips
- Not every sentence has an object. The baby slept has a subject and a verb only.
Why it works
The object receives the action. Find the subject and the verb first, then ask who or what the subject does the verb to. The answer is the object.