The
direct object of a
verb phrase or
sentence is a
noun indicating the person or thing
upon which the
verb's action is performed. The direct object may be
inflected into the
accusative case, if your
language supports doing such a thing. In
English, the direct object commonly follows the verb in the sentence.
Thus, in the sentence "John hits the ball," the ball is the direct object, as it is the ball upon which the hitting is inflicted.
In a sentence with a positional indirect object, the direct object comes last, after the indirect object. Thus, in the sentence "John gave Mary a dog," the dog is the direct object.