* Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas.
* Indirect objects are the recipients of the direct object. They tell *to whom* or *for whom* the action of the verb is done.
Let's look at an example:
* She gave him the book.
In this sentence:
* "She" is the subject.
* "Gave" is the verb.
* "The book" is the direct object (what was given).
* "Him" is the indirect object (to whom the book was given).
"Him" functions as a noun because it stands in for the recipient of the book. It tells us *who* received the book, just like a noun would.
However, "him" is technically a pronoun, a word that stands in for a noun.
In summary: While an indirect object isn't a noun itself, it functions as a noun within a sentence, telling us who or what receives the direct object. It's often a pronoun, but it can also be a noun phrase.