Direct and Indirect Objects Grammar Guides - 136498

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In the English language verbs with two

objects are followed by two different types of


objects.
Let's have a look at the following examples.
These two sentences contain both kinds of
objects.
Flowers are the direct object.
It refers to what I sent.
Mary is the indirect object.
It refers to whom I sent it.
As you can see, the word order in these two sentences is different -
Mary and flowers can be placed first or second in each of these examples.
The changeable word order in
English sentences
1. If the indirect object comes first in a sentence, there is
no preposition.

They gave Harold a new car.

Mrs. Jones offered the girls a cake.

My grandma always sends her friend a postcard.


The changeable word order in
English sentences
2. If it comes second, a preposition must be used.

They gave a new car to Harold.

Mrs. Jones offered a cake to the girls.

My grandma always sends a postcard to her friend.


The changeable word order in
English sentences
3. If the direct object is a pronoun (it, this ... ), it comes first and we must use a
preposition.
Compare the difference in the following examples.

I bought it for my sister.

Can you send it to him?

I'll get it for you as soon as I can.


(Not: I bought my sister it. Can you send him it? I'll get you it as soon as I can.)

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