Getting to grips with grammar can sometimes feel like learning a new language. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a student preparing for exams or a parent brushing up to help with homework, understanding “subjects” and “objects” is a fantastic place to start.
These two components are the backbone of sentences, shaping how they work and ensuring they make sense.
In this guide, we’ll take a step-by-step approach to breaking down subjects and objects. You’ll learn what they are, how to spot them, and why they matter for your writing – with plenty of examples and simple explanations. By the end, you’ll be ready to tackle everything from 11 Plus preparation to SATs, GCSE and A Level English essays.
What’s subject and object for sentences?
A sentence is usually made up of three key ingredients. A subject, a verb and an object. Think of a sentence like a mini-story: the subject is the main character, the verb is what they’re doing, and the object is what’s being acted upon. Another way to look at it is through the lens of cause and effect. The subject causes something to happen, and the object experiences the result.
Alongside other essential grammar forms, like subordinate clauses, fronted adverbials and connectives, subjects and objects are a key part of good spelling and grammar.
Here are some definitions and examples.
- Subject – the person or thing doing the action.
- Verb – the action itself.
- Object – the person or thing receiving the action.
For example:
- The dog fetched the ball.
- Subject: The dog (it’s doing the fetching).
- Verb: fetched (the action).
- Object: the ball (what’s being fetched).
Here’s another example:
- Emma baked a cake.
- Subject: Emma (she’s causing the action).
- Verb: baked (the action).
- Object: a cake (the result of Emma’s baking).
In sentences without an object, the story feels incomplete, like a movie without an ending. Compare these:
- John threw. (Wait, what did he throw?)
- John threw the ball. (Ah, now we know!)
So although you can have a sentence with just a subject and a verb (this can be really useful for impact: “Amelia ran.”), the subject-verb-object trio gives a fuller picture.
How do you explain subject and object to kids?
Explaining subjects and objects to kids can be fun with the right analogy. One of the simplest explanations is a game of catch. So, grab a ball and throw it back and forth with your child.
As you’re throwing the ball, explain:
- The person throwing the ball is the subject. They’re doing the action.
- The throwing itself is the verb. It’s the action taking place.
- The person catching the ball is the indirect object. They’re the one receiving the action.
- The ball is the direct object. It’s the thing acted on.
For example:
- Lucy threw the frisbee to Max.
- Subject: Lucy (the thrower, doing the action).
- Verb: threw (the action being done).
- Direct object: the frisbee (the thing being thrown).
- Indirect object: Max (the person receiving the frisbee).
If this seems tricky, remember: the direct object answers “what” (What did Lucy throw? The frisbee). The indirect object answers “to whom” or “for whom” (Who received it? Max).
Activities like this help kids connect grammar to real-world actions, making it fun and memorable. If a game of catch isn’t your child’s thing, here are some more analogies to try:
The pizza delivery
Picture someone delivering a pizza:
- The subject is the pizza delivery person. They’re doing the action (delivering).
- The direct object is the pizza. It’s what’s being delivered.
- The indirect object is the hungry customer. They’re receiving the pizza.
For example:
- The delivery driver handed the pizza to Anna.
- Subject: The delivery driver (the doer of the action).
- Direct object: the pizza (what was handed over).
- Indirect object: Anna (the person receiving it).
The birthday present
Imagine giving someone a birthday gift. It’s a perfect way to explain!
- The subject is the gift-giver. They’re doing the action.
- The direct object is the gift. It’s what’s being given.
- The indirect object is the birthday person. They’re receiving the gift.
For example:
- Sam gave a book to his brother.
- Subject: Sam (the one giving the gift).
- Direct object: the book (the thing being given).
- Indirect object: his brother (the one receiving it).
Once your child understands the concept, encourage them to spot subjects and objects in their creative writing. The more confident they are with basic sentence structure, the more they can experiment with ambitious vocabulary and exciting descriptions.
What’s an example of a subject and object in KS2?
For KS2 learners, understanding subjects and objects is a key step in improving grammar and writing skills. At this level (Years 3 to 6 of primary school for children aged 7 to 11), it’s best to start simple and gradually increase the complexity.
Use real-world analogies, like games or everyday actions (the ones we covered above are a great place to start!), to explain these concepts. Then, guide your child to spot subjects and objects in sentences. Progress to more advanced examples as their confidence grows.
Here are three examples:
Simple KS2 example
- The boy kicked the ball.
- Subject: The boy (the one doing the action).
- Object: the ball (what was kicked).
More complex KS2 example
- The cat chased the mouse and caught it.
- Subject: The cat (the one performing the action).
- Objects: the mouse (what was chased) and it (what was caught).
Challenge example for KS2
- The teacher gave her students a tricky puzzle to solve.
- Subject: The teacher (the one giving something).
- Direct Object: a tricky puzzle (what was given).
- Indirect Object: her students (who received it).
By breaking sentences into their parts, children can see how subjects and objects work together, making their own writing clearer and more engaging. Encourage them to identify subjects and objects in their favourite books to keep practice fun!
If you’re helping your child with KS2 English, don’t miss our guides to homophones, powerful adjectives, ambitious vocabulary, homeschooling advice and much more.
What’s an example of an object?
The object is the receiver of the action in a sentence, often answering the question what or whom. Objects can take many forms. They could be nouns, pronouns, or even phrases. For instance, “a cup”, “she” or “their mountain bikes”. Objects don’t even have to be tangible. They can also be ideas, feelings, or actions, like “freedom”, “love” or “running”.
Here are a few examples:
-
- He read the book.
- Object: the book (what he read).
- The teacher praised the students.
- Object: the students (whom the teacher praised).
- I love chocolate.
- Object: chocolate (what I love).
- She kicked the ball.
- Object: the ball (what she kicked).
- I enjoy swimming.
- Object: swimming (an action).
- They discussed freedom.
- Object: freedom (an idea).
- He read the book.
We should also mention direct and indirect objects. Here’s how to tell them apart.
- Direct Objects: The thing or person directly affected by the action of the verb.
- Indirect Objects: Typically a person (or animal) receiving the direct object.
For example:
1. They gave her a present when she left.
-
- Direct Object: a present (What was given?)
- Indirect Object: her (To whom was it given?)
2. Can you get me some butter?
-
-
- Direct Object: some butter (What should be gotten?)
- Indirect Object: me (For whom should it be gotten?)
-
3. She sent her friend a letter.
-
- Direct Object: a letter (What did she send?)
- Indirect Object: her friend (To whom did she send it?)
How to identify an object in a sentence: a quick method
Finding the object in a sentence is a bit like detective work. Start with the verb, and then ask the right questions. What and Whom? For example, in the sentence “the cat scratched the sofa”, start with the verb “scratched”. What or whom did the cat scratch? In this case, it’s the sofa.
And voila. You’ve found your object!
Here’s another example:
- The boy gave his sister a gift.
- Verb: gave
- Objects: his sister (whom he gave it to) and a gift (what he gave).
Wait? Two objects? Yep. Remember some sentences can have two objects, both an indirect and an indirect object.
- Direct object – the thing directly affected by the action (a gift in the example above).
- Indirect object – the person or thing indirectly affected (his sister)
Not all sentences have objects, though. So you might not always find one! For instance:
- The baby cried. (There’s no object here. Just the subject and the action.)
What are five examples of a subject?
While objects are acted on, the subject is the star of the show. It’s who or what the sentence is all about. While subjects are normally people or animals, they can also be things (i.e. nouns, like the sun or cars) or even abstract concepts (like beauty or knowledge).
Here are five examples of a subject in a sentence:
- The sun rises every morning.
- Subject: The sun (it’s doing the rising).
- My cat loves fish.
- Subject: My cat (it’s doing the loving).
- Cars zoomed down the street.
- Subject: Cars (they’re doing the zooming).
- Emma paints beautifully.
- Subject: Emma (she’s doing the painting).
- Beauty inspires us all.
- Subject: Beauty (it’s what inspires.)
What’s an example of subject and object form?
When it comes to sentence form, subjects often appear at the beginning of the sentence, while objects usually come after the verb. While this isn’t always the case, it’s particularly helpful for understanding sentences with pronouns.
Subject pronouns include I, he, she, we, they, while object pronouns include me, him, her, us, them.
Here’s how it works. Let’s start with a basic example.
- Subject form: She threw the ball. (She is the subject, doing the action.)
- Object form: The ball hit her. (Her is the object, receiving the action.)
Combined example: He called us, and we answered him.
- He and we are subjects (doing the calling and answering).
- Us and him are objects (receiving the call and answer).
A more complex sentence: They gave him the book.
- They is the subject (performing the action of giving).
- Him is the indirect object (the person receiving the book).
- The book is the direct object (the thing being given).
So, why does subject and object form matter? Well, getting subject and object forms right ensures grammatical accuracy and clarity. For example, “Me went to the store” or “Her likes chocolate” would immediately sound incorrect because the pronouns are in the wrong form.
If you’re unsure whether to use a subject or object pronoun, try rephrasing the sentence to isolate the pronoun. For instance: Instead of “John and me went to the park,” try saying “Me went to the park.” Since this sounds incorrect, the subject pronoun “I” should be used: “John and I went to the park.”
How do you explain subject and object questions?
Subject and object questions are all about figuring out who’s doing what in a sentence. A subject question focuses on the doer of the action (who), while an object question targets the receiver of the action. Object questions are the most common type, generally focusing on what, where, why or when.
The easiest way to explain this is to break down a sentence step by step. Your job is to uncover the doer of the action (the subject) or the receiver of the action (the object). Here’s how it works:
- Spot the verb. This is the action in the sentence.
- Ask who or what is performing that action (that’s the subject).
- Then ask who or what is affected by the action (that’s the object).
Here’s an example about movies:
- Subject question: Who directed the film?
- The verb is directed, and the answer (Christopher Nolan, for instance) is performing the action.
- Object question: What did Christopher Nolan direct?
- The verb is still directed, but now the focus is on the object – the film itself (like Inception).
Breaking sentences into these parts makes it easier to identify whether the question asks about the doer of the action (the subject) or the thing being acted upon (the object).
What are ten examples of subject, verb and object?
Whether you’re an English learner, a parent helping with 11 Plus preparation, or a GCSE English student brushing up on grammar, understanding subjects, verbs, and objects is a key part of mastering sentence structure. So we hope you’re feeling more confident.
The more you practice spotting these essential components, the easier they’ll become. To help, we’ve put together 10 example sentences, building in complexity. Try identifying the subject, verb, and object in each sentence. Don’t worry if it takes a bit of practice. Soon, it’ll feel like second nature!
- The dog chased the cat. (Subject: The dog, Verb: chased, Object: the cat)
- I wrote a story. (Subject: I, Verb: wrote, Object: a story)
- She ate the apple. (Subject: She, Verb: ate, Object: the apple)
- The teacher explained the lesson. (Subject: The teacher, Verb: explained, Object: the lesson)
- We watched a movie. (Subject: We, Verb: watched, Object: a movie)
- Tom kicked the ball. (Subject: Tom, Verb: kicked, Object: the ball)
- The birds built a nest in the tree. (Subject: The birds, Verb: built, Object: a nest)
- The wind blew the leaves across the yard. (Subject: The wind, Verb: blew, Object: the leaves)
- My sister baked chocolate chip cookies for her friends. (Subject: My sister, Verb: baked, Object: chocolate chip cookies)
- They cleaned the house and organized the garage. (Subject: They, Verb: cleaned and organized, Object: the house and the garage)
Final thoughts: why subjects and objects matter for your writing
Subjects and objects are at the heart of good sentence structure. They’re the foundation for clear communication, from KS2 grammar to advanced GCSE and A Level essays. By breaking down sentences into these parts, you’ll not only improve your writing but also understand how authors craft their work.
If your child is preparing for exams and needs help mastering grammar, Achieve Learning is here. From 11 Plus tuition to SATs, GCSE English and reading support, we’ll help your child succeed. Get in touch today for expert tuition and tailored guidance.
