Subject and Object in English Grammar: Complete Guide 2026

Subject and object are two of the most fundamental elements of English grammar, yet many study-abroad aspirants still struggle to use them accurately in 2026. Even a small gap in understanding can affect the clarity of your IELTS Writing answers, TOEFL Speaking tasks, SOPs, and academic essays, making it harder to present your ideas with precision and confidence.

Strong sentence structure is essential for anyone preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo especially when clarity and academic precision directly influence your scores and university evaluations. When the subject is unclear or the object is misplaced, your ideas lose clarity and your arguments appear less structured, affecting everything from test responses to SOPs and academic writing.

This in-depth 2026 guide breaks down subject and object in the clearest, most practical way possible, using examples, direct object explanations, pronouns, and common SVO patterns that students frequently encounter in global English exams.

A subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action in a sentence. In simpler terms, the subject answers the question “Who?” or “What?” is doing the action.

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• The student wrote the essay.
  (Who wrote? - The student = Subject)
  
• My laptop stopped working.
  (What stopped? - My laptop = Subject)
  
• The university announced new scholarship rules.
  (Who announced? - The university = Subject)
  
• Learning English helps students study abroad.
  (What helps? - Learning English = Subject)

Understanding the different types of subjects helps you recognise sentence patterns more confidently, something that directly improves clarity in IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and academic writing.

This is the main noun or pronoun that performs the action, without any additional describing words.

• Students travel abroad every year.
  (Students is the core noun performing the action.)
  

This includes the main noun + all the words that describe or modify it, giving the reader full context.

• The hardworking international students achieved excellent scores.
  (The hardworking international students is the full subject.)
  

A compound subject has two or more subjects joined by and, or, or nor that perform the same action.

• Rohan and Aisha applied for scholarships.
  (Two subjects: Rohan + Aisha)
  

An object receives the action of the verb.
It answers the question “Whom?” or “What?” the action is done to.

• She bought a laptop. (What did she buy?)
  
• They invited me. (Whom did they invite?)
  
• The professor explained the lesson.
  

Objects add depth and meaning to sentences by completing the action expressed by the verb. Understanding them helps you write clearer, more academically precise responses especially in IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and academic essays.

A direct object receives the action of the verb directly without any preposition.

It answers “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb.

• The student wrote a report.
  
• I learned English grammar.
  
• She completed the application.
  

An indirect object tells to whom, for whom, or for what the action is done.

It usually appears before the direct object.

• She gave her friend a gift.
  
• The university sent students acceptance emails.
  
• He taught us grammar.

The object of a preposition is the noun or pronoun that comes after a preposition such as to, for, with, at, by, from, about, etc.
It helps complete the meaning of the prepositional phrase.

• He spoke to them.
  (“them” is the object after the preposition to)
  
• The offer was sent by the company.
  (“the company” comes after the preposition by)
  
• She is studying at the library.
  (“the library” comes after the preposition at)
  

An object complement is a word or group of words that renames, describes, or gives more information about the object.
It helps the sentence feel complete and tells the reader what the object has become or how it is described after the action.

• The committee appointed Rohan team leader.
  (team leader = renames the object “Rohan”)
  
• The university found the application complete.
  (complete = describes the object “the application”)
  
• The teacher considered her explanation clear.
  (clear = describes the object “her explanation”)
  

Most English sentences follow the Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) pattern.
This means:

• The subject does the action,
  
• The verb expresses the action,
  
• The object receives the action.
  

This structure helps you build clear and grammatically correct sentences especially useful for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and academic writing.

• The student (S) wrote (V) the essay (O).
  
• My teacher (S) explained (V) the rules (O).
  
• International applicants (S) submit (V) documents online (O).

Understanding SVO helps you write clear and impactful sentences-essential for IELTS Writing Task 2.

Pronouns replace nouns in a sentence, but they must follow correct subject–object rules to keep your writing clear and grammatically accurate.

Used when the pronoun does the action.
Examples: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Used when the pronoun receives the action.
Examples: me, you, him, her, it, us, them

Examples in sentences:

• She (subject pronoun) helped him (object pronoun).
  
• They (subject) invited us (object).
  
• I (subject) emailed them (object) the details.
  

Using the wrong pronoun is one of the most common errors students make in speaking and writing, especially during IELTS and TOEFL tasks.

Here are clear SVO examples for practice:

1. Riya (S) completed (V) the assignment (O).
   
2. They (S) visited (V) the campus (O).
   
3. The professor (S) graded (V) the test (O).
   
4. Students (S) asked (V) questions (O).
   
5. I (S) booked (V) my flight (O).
   
6. The university (S) offered (V) a scholarship (O).
   
7. He (S) checked (V) the portal (O).
   
8. We (S) prepared (V) for the interview (O).
   
9. Her parents (S) supported (V) her application (O).
   
10. The counsellor (S) guided (V) the students (O).
    

These examples train your mind to instantly identify subjects, verbs, and objects.

Here are the errors most students make during IELTS/TOEFL prep:

Wrong- Me and Riya went to class.
Right- Riya and I went to class.

Wrong- The professor explained students the topic.
Right- The professor explained the topic to students.

Wrong- Because working hard.
Right- Because he is working hard.

Wrong- She sent a letter him.
Right- She sent him a letter.

In passive voice, the object becomes the subject.
Example:
Active: The university selected Riya.
Passive: Riya was selected by the university.

Understanding how to identify the subject and object correctly is essential for building clear, academic-quality sentences especially in IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, Duolingo, and university-level writing.
Use the steps below to analyse any sentence with confidence.

Start by locating the main action or state of being.
This is the verb.

Example:
The students submitted the assignment to the professor.
Verb: submitted

The verb is your anchor- once you find it, everything else becomes easier to identify.

Ask the verb: “Who or what is performing this action?”

The answer is the Subject (S).

Example:
Who submitted? - The students
Subject: The students

The subject can be:

• a noun
  
• a pronoun
  
• a phrase (“Studying abroad improves your career”)
  
• or a compound noun (Rohan and Aisha)
  

If the verb is action-based, ask: “What or whom did the subject act upon?”

The answer is the Direct Object (DO).

Example:
The students submitted what? - the assignment
Direct Object: the assignment

The DO must be a thing or person that directly receives the action.

An indirect object is trickier, especially for test-takers, because it often appears with prepositions.

Ask: “To whom?” or “For whom?” was the action done?

Example:
The students submitted the assignment to the professor.

Here’s the rule:

• If to/for is present - it is Object of a Preposition, not an Indirect Object.
  
• If you can rewrite the sentence without to/for, it becomes an Indirect Object.
  

Compare:

1. The students submitted the assignment to the professor.
   - “the professor” = Object of the Preposition
   
2. The students submitted the professor the assignment.
   - “the professor” = Indirect Object
   

Most English test sentences use the prepositional form, so recognising this distinction avoids many scoring errors.

Some verbs can take two objects, a direct and an indirect object.
Some take an object + object complement.
Some only take an object after a preposition.

Examples:

• She sent me (IO) the details (DO).
  
• They elected Rohan team leader (object complement).
  
• He spoke to the counsellor (object of preposition).
  

This step ensures you do not mislabel objects.

Now check whether your elements fit a common English structure such as:

• S + V
  
• S + V + DO
  
• S + V + IO + DO
  
• S + V + DO + Object Complement
  
• S + V + Preposition + Object
  

If your answers do not align with these patterns, recheck your verb and objects.

Example validation:
The students (S) submitted (V) the assignment (DO) to the professor (Object of Preposition).
Follows pattern: S + V + DO + Prepositional Phrase

Students preparing for 2026 exams benefit from practising this breakdown across different sentence types to strengthen clarity, grammar, and academic writing skills.

1. The counsellor guided the applicants.
   
2. They booked their accommodation.
   
3. The university announced new programs.
   
4. Priya wrote her statement of purpose.
   
5. I checked the scholarship results.
   

1. Subject – The counsellor; Object – the applicants
   
2. Subject – They; Object – their accommodation
   
3. Subject – The university; Object – new programs
   
4. Subject – Priya; Object – her statement of purpose
   
5. Subject – I; Object – the scholarship results
   

Mastering subject and object is more than a grammar requirement; it's a skill that helps you express ideas with confidence in interviews, academic essays, university emails, and classroom communication. Once you understand how each part of a sentence works together, your writing becomes clearer, your speaking becomes more structured, and your overall academic expression improves significantly.

If you're preparing for 2026 admissions and want expert guidance for IELTS prep, university shortlisting, SOP writing, visa filing, and more, LeapScholar counsellors are here to support you every step of the way. Start your journey with personalised 1-on-1 guidance today.