Difference between revisions of "Indirect Object"
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An Indirect Object is rarely used without a Direct Object in the same sentence: we don't 'give him' unless we say <u>what</u> it is that we gave to him (though in spoken English, at least, we can say 'tell me'). The Direct Object (1) almost always precedes the Indirect Object when the latter is a prepositional phrase; when it is a [[noun]] or a [[pronoun]] without a [[preposition]], its position is more variable. | An Indirect Object is rarely used without a Direct Object in the same sentence: we don't 'give him' unless we say <u>what</u> it is that we gave to him (though in spoken English, at least, we can say 'tell me'). The Direct Object (1) almost always precedes the Indirect Object when the latter is a prepositional phrase; when it is a [[noun]] or a [[pronoun]] without a [[preposition]], its position is more variable. | ||
− | The two Objects can be in the reverse order, (2) (1), e.g. " | + | The two Objects can be in the reverse order, (2) (1), e.g. "Give me [2] it [1]"; "Tell him [2} the story [1]". Here the Indirect Object is usually a single word, often a [[pronoun]]. |
[[Category:Grammar]] | [[Category:Grammar]] | ||
[[Category:Clause structure]] | [[Category:Clause structure]] |
Revision as of 14:27, 8 November 2019
This article is part of the grammar course.
You may choose to follow it in a structured way, or read each item separately. |
The Indirect Object is the thing or person onto or for whom the action of the verb is performed - indirectly. In "The King gave some land to the hero", 'some land' is the Direct Object, and 'to the hero' is an Indirect Object. It will help our analysis if we label the Direct object (1) and the Indirect object (2).
An Indirect Object is rarely used without a Direct Object in the same sentence: we don't 'give him' unless we say what it is that we gave to him (though in spoken English, at least, we can say 'tell me'). The Direct Object (1) almost always precedes the Indirect Object when the latter is a prepositional phrase; when it is a noun or a pronoun without a preposition, its position is more variable.
The two Objects can be in the reverse order, (2) (1), e.g. "Give me [2] it [1]"; "Tell him [2} the story [1]". Here the Indirect Object is usually a single word, often a pronoun.