Direct objects are the nouns or pronouns that receive the action of a verb. They answer the question "what?" or "whom?" after the verb.
Here are some examples of statements without a direct object:
* The sun is shining. (The verb "shining" is intransitive, meaning it doesn't take a direct object)
* She laughed. (The verb "laughed" is intransitive)
* He walked to the store. (The verb "walked" is intransitive)
Here are some examples of statements with a direct object:
* She baked a cake. (The noun "cake" is the direct object)
* He wrote a letter. (The noun "letter" is the direct object)
* They called him. (The pronoun "him" is the direct object)
Therefore, the presence of a direct object is dependent on the verb used in the sentence. Not all verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning.