Hints on Verbs Usage: Direct/Indirect Objects

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Hints on Verbs Usage Direct/Indirect Objects

• Carmela Grillone
• FAO International Consultant

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Direct and Indirect Objects

• Many verbs can be followed by 2 objects
• 1 direct, the object
• 1 indirect, the person
• I gave my brother a present for his birthday
• Can you send me an email?
• I want to make you some coffee

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Common Verbs

• Offer
• Owe
• Pass
• Pay
• Play
• Promise
• Read
• Refuse

• Send
• Show
• Sing
• Take
• Teach
• Tell
• Wish
• Write

• Bring
• Buy
• Cost
• Get
• Give
• Leave
• Lend
• Make

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Two Pronouns

• Generally the indirect object comes last
• Give it to me
• Send some to him
• but its possible to put it first
• Give her one
• Send him some

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Indirect Object

• Indirect object can come after the direct object
• He sent some flowers to the girl whom he met
  during the conference
• She bought that present for you, not for me

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Particular CasesExplain, Suggest, Describe

• Id like him to explain his decision to us
• (not to explain us his decision)
• Can you suggest a good restaurant to me?
• (not Can you suggest me a good restaurant?)
• Please describe your sister to us
• (not Please describe us your sister)

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1 or 2 objects

• I asked Jane
• I asked a question
• I asked Jane a question
• Teach, tell, pay, show, sing, play and write
• sing, play and write put TO before the indirect
  object
• Sing her a song
• Sing to her (Not sing her)
• Write me a letter
• Write to me when you get home (Write me..possible
  in American English)

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Say and Tell

• Jack said, What a nice idea!
• Not Jack told us, What a nice idea!
• After tell we usually say WHO is told
• She told me that she would be late
• Say is often used WITHOUT a personal object
• She said that she would be late
• Neither say nor tell can be introduce indirect
  questions
• Mahmoud asked whether I wanted to watch a movie
  () not Mahmoud said/told)