Can the verb had have a direct object?

The verb "had" itself cannot directly take a direct object. This is because "had" is the past participle of "have," and it usually functions as part of a past perfect tense or a past perfect continuous tense.

Here's how it works:

Past Perfect Tense:

* Structure: had + past participle

* Example: She had eaten the whole cake. ("Eaten" is the past participle, and "cake" is the direct object of the verb "eaten.")

Past Perfect Continuous Tense:

* Structure: had been + present participle

* Example: He had been working on the project for weeks. ("Working" is the present participle, and "project" is the direct object of the verb "working.")

In short, "had" itself doesn't directly take an object. Instead, it works with other verbs to create past perfect tenses, and the object belongs to the verb in the past participle or present participle.