Прямое/косвенное дополнение
Nouns can function as either a direct object or an indirect object, both of which are complements to the verb. A direct object receives the action, while an indirect object tells us to whom or for whom the action is done.
Прямое дополнение
The direct object is the noun that receives the action of a transitive verb. You can find the direct object by asking 'What?' or 'Whom?' after the verb.
| Предложение | Глагол | Вопрос | Прямое дополнение |
|---|---|---|---|
| I ate the pizza. | ate | Ate what? | the pizza |
| She loves her brother. | loves | Loves whom? | her brother |
| He wrote a letter. | wrote | Wrote what? | a letter |
Косвенное дополнение
The indirect object is the noun that receives the direct object. It answers the question 'To whom?' or 'For whom?' an action is performed. The indirect object always comes before the direct object.
| Предложение | Глагол | Косвенное дополнение | Прямое дополнение |
|---|---|---|---|
| He gave her a flower. | gave | her | a flower |
| I made my mom a cake. | made | my mom | a cake |
| She told me a story. | told | me | a story |
Положение косвенного дополнения
The indirect object can be rephrased using a prepositional phrase, usually with to or for. When this happens, the indirect object comes after the direct object.
- He gave a flower to her.
- I made a cake for my mom.