Lesson 8: Writing Simple Sentences with Subject-Verb-Object
In the last lesson, we learned that a sentence needs a Subject (who/what) and a Verb (the action). Today, we will add a third part to make our sentences more complete and interesting: the Object1.
What is an Object?
The Object is the person or thing that receives2 the action of the verb. It answers the question "what?" or "whom?" after the verb.
For example, in the sentence "Srey likes coffee," Srey is the Subject, likes is the Verb. What does she like? She likes coffee. "Coffee" is the Object.
Look at the full sentence structure: Subject-Verb-Object (S-V-O).
I eat rice.
( Subject + Verb + Object )
He drives a tuk-tuk.
( Subject + Verb + Object )
Does Every Sentence Need an Object?
No. Some verbs do not need an object. The sentence is already complete with just a subject and a verb.
No Object Needed:
He sleeps.
The baby cries.
(These sentences are complete. You cannot "sleep something".)Object Needed:
She reads a book.
My brother has a bicycle.
(These sentences need an object to be complete.)✍️ Better Sentence Checklist
Use this checklist for your sentences:
- ✔️ Does it have a Subject (who/what)?
- ✔️ Does it have a Verb (the action)?
- ✔️ If the verb is an action done to something, does it have an Object?
- ✔️ Is the punctuation (Capital letter and . or ?) correct?
🧠 Practice Quiz: Find the Object
Read the sentences and identify the Object in each one.
1. The student reads a book.
Answer: The object is "a book". (Reads what?)
2. I want some water.
Answer: The object is "some water". (Want what?)
3. My friend plays football.
Answer: The object is "football". (Plays what?)
📝 Homework: Build S-V-O Sentences
Get your notebook and pen to practice building better sentences.
Part 1: Add an Object
Complete these sentences by adding an object. You can choose any object that makes sense.
- My mother cooks ____________________.
- I ride ____________________.
- The cat sees ____________________.
(Example answers: rice, my bicycle, a mouse)
Part 2: Write Your Own Sentences
Write three complete Subject-Verb-Object sentences about things you do.
Example Answers:
- I study English.
- My sister drinks coffee.
- We eat noodles for breakfast.
Vocabulary Glossary
- Object: (Noun) - កម្មបទ - The person or thing that receives the action of the verb. It answers 'what?' or 'whom?'. ↩
- Receive: (Verb) - ទទួល - To get or be given something. ↩
- Subject: (Noun) - ប្រធាន - The "who" or "what" of a sentence that performs the action.
- Verb: (Noun) - កិរិយាស័ព្ទ - The word that expresses an action or a state of being.