English Grammar Drills - Mark Lester 2009
1. Indirect object + direct object
11 Multiple Verb Complements
Part 2 Verb Phrases
A complement is any grammatical structure or structures required by a verb to make a valid sentence. In this chapter we will examine nine different verb complements that contain two components. Since it is easy to get all the complements and terms confused, we will briefly list and label them all (with an example) before going into any detailed descriptions:
1. Indirect object + direct object
A small but important group of verbs take not one object but two objects. When there are two objects in a sentence, the objects are called the indirect object (IO) and the direct object (DO). (In a sentence with a single object, that object is always a direct object, usually shortened to just “object.” We can only have an indirect object where there is also a direct object.) The two objects occur in a fixed order: the indirect object always precedes the direct object. Here are two examples of sentences with this type of double complement:
Exercise 11.1
Underline the indirect and direct objects in the following sentences. Label the indirect object IO and the direct object DO. Be careful not to include optional adverbs as part of the objects.
1. My brother teaches college-prep high school seniors advanced calculus.
2. Please order me a toasted bagel with cream cheese.
3. I offered a friend a lift to the train station.
4. Could you read the kids a bedtime story before it gets too late?
5. I did him a big favor once.
6. Pass us some plates and silverware, will you?
7. We should give the people working at the desk a short break.
8. Let’s fix her a nice dinner for her birthday.
9. Last year we sold the Johnston company about a thousand laser-jet printers.
10. Her great uncle left me a small bequest in his will.
11. We saved you a piece of birthday cake.
12. The car dealership loaned us a car while ours is in the shop.
13. We should write them a nice thank-you note for their gift.
14. Please get me all the current invoices.
15. We should show the visitors the new art gallery.
Nearly all complements that have an indirect object + direct object complement have an alternative form that functions as a paraphrase of the original form. We can imagine this paraphrase taking place as a two-step process: (1) the indirect object is turned into a prepositional phrase using to or for, and (2) the direct object is then moved in front of the prepositional phrase. Here are examples of how this to/for paraphrase transforms the original IO + DO complements:
It is reasonably easy to predict which verbs take to and which take for. In general, to is used to describe something being transferred from one person to another, either physically or metaphorically.
Here are some examples of a physical transfer:
Here are some examples of a metaphorical transfer:
Notice in this last example how much more normal the to paraphrase sounds compared with the sentence in the original IO + DO order. The to/for paraphrase versions are much more commonly used than the IO + DO order.
Most of the indirect object + direct object verbs that use for in forming the to/for paraphrase have the basic meaning of doing or making something for the benefit of someone else. For example:
Exercise 11.2
The following sentences are the same sentences used in the previous exercise. Using your answers from Exercise 11.1, use the to/for paraphrase for all the indirect objects. You will probably be able to choose the correct preposition 90 percent of the time based on the guidelines given previously for selecting to or for.
1. My brother teaches college-prep high school seniors advanced calculus.
2. Please order me a toasted bagel with cream cheese.
3. I offered a friend a lift to the train station.
4. Could you read the kids a bedtime story before it gets too late?
5. I did him a big favor once.
6. Pass us some plates and silverware, will you?
7. We should give the people working at the desk a short break.
8. Let’s fi x her a nice dinner for her birthday.
9. Last year we sold the Johnston company about a thousand laser-jet printers.
10. Her great uncle left me a small bequest in his will.
11. We saved you a piece of birthday cake.
12. The car dealership loaned us a car while ours is in the shop.
13. We should write them a nice thank-you note for their gift.
14. Please get me all the current invoices.
15. We should show the visitors the new art gallery.
If both the indirect object and the direct objects are pronouns, then the to/for paraphrase is obligatory in American English (but not in all dialects of British English). For example:
Exercise 11.3
Replace both the indirect and direction objects with pronouns, and then apply the to/for paraphrase to the pronoun objects.
1. I owed my cousin a big favor.
2. The real estate agent found my parents a terrific apartment.
3. The agent handed my parents the apartment key.
4. The music teacher taught Janet a new piano sonata today.
5. The wizard granted the princess three wishes.
6. Please serve the guests the first course.
7. The owner very kindly saved our friends the last big table.
8. Throw George a towel, will you?
9. The boss promised Dorothy the first new opening.
10. Would you read everybody the message again, please?
11. John bought his kids a playground set.
12. We prepared the new vice president a revised organization chart.
13. Please give Mrs. Stoddard our best wishes.
14. We ordered the entire staff a catered lunch.
15. Ship the office in Dayton the new routers.
Let us now look at each type of object complement in more detail.