Explanation
Exercises

Verbs with Two Objects (Indirect + Direct)

How to use double-object verbs (give, send, buy, show, make, etc.), choose to/for, place pronouns, and form passives.
direct vs indirect two patterns to vs for pronoun placement verbs that don’t double-object passive options
BasicsDirect vs Indirect Object
  • Direct object (DO) = the thing affected → answers what?/who? I bought a sweater. · I saw Peter.
  • Indirect object (IO) = the receiver/beneficiary → answers to/for whom? I sent my friends a picture. · I cooked my wife breakfast.
Two patternsWord order
1) Verb + IO + DO — “double-object”
I sent my friends a picture.
2) Verb + DO + to/for + IO — “prepositional”
I sent a picture to my friends.
  • Pronouns close to the verb: I sent them a picture.
  • Both objects are pronouns? Prefer the prepositional pattern: Give it to her. (“Give her it” is informal/dialectal.)
  • Long/new information often goes last: She showed me a photo of her new team.
TOReceiver / destination
give, lend, offer, pass, promise, read, sell, send, show, teach, tell, write
  • She gave me the keys. · She gave the keys to me.
  • They showed us the house. · They showed the house to us.
FORBeneficiary / purpose
bring, buy, build, cook, find, get, keep, make, order, save, reserve
  • I bought her a coffee. · I bought a coffee for her.
  • They made us a cake. · They made a cake for us.
ImportantVerbs that do not allow the double-object pattern
  • Use only DO + to + IO with: announce, describe, explain, introduce, mention, report, suggest, confess, donate, say.
    ✗ Explain me the problem. → ✔ Explain the problem to me.
    ✗ She said me that… → ✔ She told me that… / She said (to me) that…
PassiveBoth objects can become subject
  • TO-verbs
    Active: They gave me a ticket.
    Passive 1: I was given a ticket. · Passive 2: A ticket was given to me.
  • FOR-verbs
    Active: She baked me a cake.
    Passive 1: I was baked a cake (BrE). · Passive 2: A cake was baked for me.
Common mistakesQuick fixes
  • No preposition in the double-object order: ✗ I gave to her a book. → ✔ I gave her a book.
  • Right preposition: ✗ buy … to → ✔ buy … for; ✗ send … for → ✔ send … to
  • Both objects as pronouns? Prefer “Give it to me.”

Recap: Use IO + DO or DO + to/for + IO. Choose to for the receiver and for for the beneficiary. Keep pronouns close to the verb (or use the prepositional pattern if both are pronouns). Some verbs (e.g., explain, describe, say) require to and cannot take the double-object order.

Exercises:
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Verbs with two objects

Choose the correct options to complete these sentences.
1
I explained the rules .
2
Could you pass the pepper?
3
She sent the link on WhatsApp.
4
He bought a coffee.
5
They offered a ride to the station.
6
Please show your ticket.
7
I described the suspect .
8
Can you get a glass of water?
9
We read a story before bed.
10
The teacher asked a difficult question.

Verbs with two objects

Choose the correct options to complete these sentences.
1
Please send ____ when you land.
A.
B.
C.
2
She told ____ not to worry.
A.
B.
C.
3
Please explain ____.
A.
B.
C.
4
Our teacher gave ____ for homework.
A.
B.
C.
5
I’ll make ____ after the meeting.
A.
B.
C.
6
Could you describe the man you saw ____?
A.
B.
C.
7
They offered ____ a lift to the airport.
A.
B.
C.
8
I wrote ____ a postcard from Rome.
A.
B.
C.
9
Can you read the instructions ____ again?
A.
B.
C.
10
The bank lent ____ when our car broke down.
A.
B.
C.

Verbs with two objects

Rewrite with verb + direct object + to/for + indirect object. Type only the underlined part (the object phrase).
Guide: to = transfer (give, send, show, tell, write, read, sell, lend, pass, offer) for = benefit (buy, make, cook, get, build, find, save, bake) Some verbs don’t take double object: explain/describe/suggest sth to sb
1
She baked her friends some cookies. ⇒ She baked .
2
He sent his parents a postcard. ⇒ He sent .
3
They told the teacher the truth. ⇒ They told .
4
I bought my brother a ticket. ⇒ I bought .
5
We showed the guard our IDs. ⇒ We showed .
6
She gave the baby some water. ⇒ She gave .
7
He got me a coffee. ⇒ He got .
8
They wrote us a reminder. ⇒ They wrote .
9
Could you pass me the salt? ⇒ Could you pass ?
10
She made the children lunch. ⇒ She made .