Keep going! Check out the next lesson and practice what you’re learning: A subject is the noun phrase that drives the action of a sentence; in the sentence “Jake ate cereal,” Jake is the subject. The direct object is the thing that the subject acts upon, so in that last sentence, “cereal” is the direct object; it’s the thing Jake ate. An indirect object is an optional part of a sentence; it’s the recipient of an action. In the sentence “Jake gave me some cereal,” the word “me” is the indirect object; I’m the person who got cereal from Jake. Practice this yourself on Khan Academy right now: Watch the next lesson: Missed the previous lesson? Watch here: Syntax on Khan Academy: Syntax is the ordering of language; it’s the study of how sentences work. In this section, we’ll scratch the surface of syntax as it applies to English grammar. Much more can be said about this subject, but we’ll save that for KA Linguistics. About Khan Academy: Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content. For free. For everyone. Forever. #YouCanLearnAnything Subscribe to KhanAcademy: