Hints on Verbs Usage: Direct/Indirect Objects

Carmela Grillone

FAO International Consultant

Direct and Indirect Objects

Many verbs can be followed by 2 objects– 1 direct, the object – 1 indirect, the person

1. I gave my brother a present for his birthday

2. Can you send me an email?

3. I want to make you some coffee

Common Verbs

Bring Buy Cost Get Give Leave Lend Make

Offer Owe Pass Pay Play Promise Read Refuse

Send Show Sing Take Teach Tell Wish Write

Two Pronouns

Generally the indirect object comes last Give it to me Send some to him

but it’s possible to put it first Give her one Send him some

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

Particular Cases:Explain, Suggest, Describe

I’d 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)

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)

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 lateSay 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…)