In order to complete the sentence, we must use an object with the incomplete verb makes. To say, The busy man makes, is not enough. We must have an object which is the receiver of the action expressed in the verb, makes. Verbs of action often have two objects. One object names the thing that receives the action and the other names the thing indirectly affected by the action. For example:

409. Coat is the direct object of the verb made. But we have another object in the pronoun him. We do not mean that the tailor made him, but that the tailor made him a coat. Coat is the direct object and him is the indirect object. The indirect object is always placed before the direct object. The indirect object may be used as the object of the preposition to or for. As for example, this sentence might be rewritten to read, The tailor made a coat for him. In this sentence, him is not the indirect object of the verb, but is the object of the preposition for.

410. The direct object of the verb always answers the question what? As for example, the tailor made what?—a coat. The indirect object of the verb names the person or thing to or for which the act is done,—the tailor made a coat for whom?—for him.

The direct and indirect object become a part of the complete predicate of the sentence. There may be other modifiers also, as adverbs or adverb phrases, and all of these taken together form the complete predicate in the sentences where you have used an incomplete verb. As for example:

The complete predicate is, gladly made him a coat for the occasion, formed of the verb made, the direct object, coat, the indirect object him, the adverb modifier, gladly, and the phrase modifier, for the occasion.

Exercise 3

In the following sentences, underscore the direct object with one line and the indirect object with two lines. The verb is in italics.

  1. He gave her a book.
  2. He wrote me a long letter.
  3. Her father bought her a watch.
  4. The nurse gave the patient his medicine.
  5. The mother gave her daughter a present.
  6. Give me time to think.
  7. The clerk sold her a dress.
  8. The teacher read the children a story.
  9. The company furnishes the men food and shelter.
  10. The man showed us his wounds.