Verbs with 2 objects – Word order

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Word order in English sentences with two objects

Some verbs have two objects –an indirect object and a direct object.

1. If there are two objects in a sentence, the normal word order is person → thing:

Subject	Verb	Indirect Object	Direct Object
I	gave	my mother	some flowers.
I	sent	Susan	an email.
He	cooked	his friends	a meal.

2. We can use to or for with an indirect object if we want to place it next to the verb:

Subject	Verb	Direct Object	Indirect Object
I	gave	some flowers	to my mother.
I	sent	an email	to Susan.
He	cooked	a meal	for his friends.

3. If the indirect object is a pronoun we normally put it after the verb:

Subject	Verb	Indirect Object	Direct Object
I	gave	her	some flowers.
I	sent	her	an email.
He	cooked	them	a meal.

4. Common verbs with for and an indirect object are:

• book
• buy
• get
• cook
• keep
• bring
• make
• pour
• save
• find

5. Common verbs with to and an indirect object are:

• give
• lend
• offer
• pass
• post
• read
• sell
• send
• show
• promise
• tell

If we want to emphasise the person, we put the person after the thing. Then we use the preposition to.

I am going to send the letter to Peter.

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With the words describe, explain, report and say – we always put the person after the thing. Then we use the preposition to.

I will describe the situation to you.

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