MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

What role does an indirect object serve in a sentence?

1. It performs the action of the verb

2. It receives the action of the subject indirectly

3. It modifies the subject's action

4. It connects different clauses together

The correct answer is: It receives the action of the subject indirectly

An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that typically comes between the verb and the direct object in a sentence. It receives the action of the verb indirectly, meaning it benefits from or is affected by the action. For example, in the sentence "She gave her friend a book," "her friend" is the indirect object since it indicates to whom the book (the direct object) was given. This choice is fundamentally about the relationship between different parts of the sentence, particularly highlighting how the indirect object interacts with the action described by the verb. Although the action is performed by the subject on the direct object, the indirect object receives the action in a way that is not direct, hence the term "indirect object." The other options refer to roles that either do not align with the definition of an indirect object or pertain to different grammatical functions, such as subjects or modifiers. Understanding this concept is crucial for crafting well-structured sentences while also enhancing one's writing style.