Which word or phrase in the following sentence is the indirect object?
My father buys my mother flowers for her birthday.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An indirect object refers to the person or thing that is receiving the action of the verb. To identify an indirect object, ask "to whom?" or "for whom?" after the verb. "my mother" is the indirect object because she is who is receiving the flowers.
The phrase "my father" is the subject. Every sentence must have a subject and a verb. If the verb Is an action verb - a verb expresses an action, like laugh, jump, drive, or study - then the subject is the who or what that "does" the verb. If the verb is a linking verb - a verb that connects the subject to something that is said about the subject - then the subject is the who or what that is being described or explained. Some examples of linking verbs are: is, was, were, am, are, seem, become.
"Flowers" is a direct object. A direct object is a person or thing that is receiving the action done by the verb. To identify a direct object, ask "who?" or "what?" after the verb. In this sentence, the verb is "buys." what was being bought? "flowers."
The phrase "for her birthday" is a prepositional phrase. A preposition draws a relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in a sentence. A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object. The preposition's object is the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition. Prepositional phrases can function as either adjective phrases or adverb phrases to modify other words in a sentence. In this sentence, "for" is the preposition that starts the prepositional phrase, with "birthday" being the object of the preposition. "Her" modifies "birthday."

Which Word or Phrase in the Following Sentence Is the Indirect