Passives with two objects (double-object passives)
B2 · ditransitive verbs
IO-passive vs DO-passive · to/for
1) What does “double-object” mean?
Some verbs take two objects in the active voice: a person (indirect object) and a thing (direct object). These are ditransitive verbs: give, send, lend, offer, show, tell, promise, write, buy, make, bring, get, etc.
- Active 1 They sent the team an email.
- Active 2 They sent an email to the team.
In the passive, either object can become the subject, depending on what you want to focus on.
2) Two passive patterns
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| IO-passive (person first) | Person + be + V3 + thing (+ by…) | The team were sent an email (by the manager). |
| DO-passive (thing first) | Thing + be + V3 + to/for + person | An email was sent to the team. |
In IO-passives the preposition to/for is usually dropped: She was given a chance. In DO-passives the preposition must stay: A chance was given to her.
3) Which passive should I choose?
- People as topic Start with the person who benefits/receives: The interns were offered remote access.
- Things as topic Start with the thing when it’s the news: Remote access was offered to the interns.
- Style IO-passives are more natural in everyday English than DO-passives when the receiver is short or pronoun-like: We were sent a link.
4) Common verb groups
| + to (receiver) | + for (beneficiary) | Take both |
|---|---|---|
| give, lend, offer, pass, promise, read, sell, send, show, tell, write | bring, buy, cook, find, get, make, build | give, send, show, offer, lend, pay*, teach |
With many for-verbs, the IO-passive (We were baked a cake) is possible but less common than the DO-passive (A cake was baked for us), especially in more formal styles.
5) Verbs that do not allow IO-passives
- ✗ *He was explained the problem.
- ✗ *She was described the route.
- ✗ *They were suggested a solution.
Use a DO-passive with to instead: The problem was explained to him. / The route was described to her. / A solution was suggested to them.
6) Tense, aspect & the get-passive
- Any tense We are being given extra time. · She has been offered a place.
- get-passive (informal) He got given a warning. (colloquial; avoid in formal writing)
- Agent phrase Add by only if needed: They were sent a reminder by the coordinator.
7) Clause/infinitive as the “thing”
- We were told to wait.
- They were informed that the meeting had moved.
- With tell/ask/advise/warn, an infinitive or that-clause can function as the second object.
8) Word order & pronouns
- Pronouns If the receiver is a pronoun, IO-passive is usually best: We were sent the contract. (rather than The contract was sent to us in fast-moving text)
- New vs given info Put new/long information later: The clients were offered a flexible, multi-year plan.
9) Quick transformation guide
| Active | IO-passive (person first) | DO-passive (thing first) |
|---|---|---|
| The museum sent us an invitation. | We were sent an invitation. | An invitation was sent to us. |
| HR offered the interns remote access. | The interns were offered remote access. | Remote access was offered to the interns. |
| They bought their parents a new phone. | Their parents were bought a new phone. (less formal/region-dependent) | A new phone was bought for their parents. |
10) Do’s & don’ts
- Do Choose IO-passive to foreground the recipient: Clients were sent updates.
- Do Keep to/for in DO-passives: A refund was issued to the customer.
- Don’t use that after a comma in any passive relative clause.
- Don’t form IO-passives with verbs like explain/describe/suggest/announce: prefer The rules were explained to us.
Exercises:
Passives with two objects (double-object passives)
ⓘ
Rewrite each sentence in the passive voice. Do not include the agent (e.g., by them, by John). For double-object verbs, either the recipient or the thing can become the subject — both versions are accepted where possible.
1
Active: They gave Mia a scholarship.
2
Active: The manager sent the clients an apology.
3
Active: They offered Tom a permanent contract.
4
Active: The committee awarded the team first prize.
5
Active: The bank lent us the money we needed.
6
Active: They showed the trainees the new procedure.
7
Active: The HR department promised me a promotion.
8
Active: The teacher taught the children a useful trick.
9
Active: The landlord charged the tenants an extra fee.
10
Active: The company paid the contractor the full amount.
Passives with two objects (double-object passives)
For each question, choose TWO correct options.
1
They gave me a refund last week. (Choose TWO correct passives.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
2
The manager offered the interns paid overtime.
A.
B.
C.
D.
3
The museum showed visitors the restored mural.
A.
B.
C.
D.
4
They sent us the contract yesterday.
A.
B.
C.
D.
5
The teacher taught the kids a new song.
A.
B.
C.
D.
6
The bank denied her a loan.
A.
B.
C.
D.
7
The organizers promised the winners free tickets.
A.
B.
C.
D.
8
The company awarded him a scholarship.
A.
B.
C.
D.
9
The seller charged us an extra fee.
A.
B.
C.
D.
10
The receptionist told the guests the Wi-Fi password.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Passives with two objects (double-object passives)
Rewrite these sentences in passive voice. Do NOT include the agent: by them, by John, etc.
1
Original: They gave Maria a refund.
Passive:
2
Original: The manager will offer the interns paid leave.
Passive:
3
Original: They have sent me the tracking number.
Passive:
4
Original: Someone showed the visitors the gallery.
Passive:
5
Original: The committee awarded her a scholarship.
Passive:
6
Original: They taught the children a valuable lesson.
Passive:
7
Original: The bank has lent us the money.
Passive:
8
Original: The trainer is giving the players clear instructions.
Passive:
9
Original: Her uncle promised them a trip to Rome.
Passive:
10
Original: The HR team might send you an invitation.
Passive: