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_{Syntactic Theory}

The Direct Object

Test for identifying direct objects in English

• Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence.
  • Active: Pat wrote a letter.
    Passive: A letter was written by Pat.
  • post-verbal NPs that are not direct objects do not passivize:
    Pat will always remain a good friend.
    * A good friend will always be remained by Pat.

Categories and structural position

• The direct object is an NP in accusative case. It can also be an S'.
• It is a sister of V and dominated by a VP.
• A direct object that is an S' can be identified by the following criteria:
  • The S' can be replaced with this, such that this satisfies the criteria for an NP direct object:
    Pat thinks [S': that Kim is late], and I think this, too.
  • Passivization is possible:
    Pat believes [S': that Kim is late]. -> [S':That Kim is late] is believed (by Pat).

              _S_
             /   \
            /    AuxP
           /     /  \
        subj    /   VP
         /     /   /  \
        /     /   /  dir.obj
       /     /   /      \
     NP   Aux   V     __NP__
    /__\   |    |    /______\
    Pat  will write  a letter.

Read further on other grammatical functions:

• The Predicate
• The Subject
• The Indirect Object
• The Predicative Complement
• The Oblique Complement
• The Modifier

Categories: Glossary