How to Find Subjects, Direct Objects, and Indirect Objects

Khan Academy

A clear and concise grammar tutorial that breaks down the components of a sentence: subjects, direct objects, and indirect objects. Through a casual dialogue between two narrators, the video uses handwritten examples on a digital whiteboard to visually map out sentence structures. The lesson moves from simple subject identification to the more complex relationship between direct and indirect objects, offering concrete tests to verify which is which. The video explores key grammatical themes including sentence analysis, the roles of nouns and pronouns, and the functional relationships between words. It specifically addresses how action verbs transfer energy to direct objects and how indirect objects function as the recipients of those actions. The narrators also demonstrate how to differentiate an indirect object from a prepositional phrase using a simple transposition test. This resource is highly valuable for English Language Arts classrooms introduced to sentence diagramming or syntax analysis. It clarifies a common point of confusion for students—distinguishing between the thing being acted upon and the recipient of that action. Teachers can use this video to introduce the concept of transitive verbs or as a remediation tool for students struggling with sentence structure and pronoun usage.