Lección 3: Direct and indirect objects.

3. Direct and indirect objects.

''The direct object is the thing and the indirect object is the person.'' This is the easy way to identify the objects. Here you have an example:

Ian gave Claire some chocolates.

Indirect object.
Direct object.


We've got two structures:

Subject + verb + indirect object + direct object

She +  gave + him + a letter.
 We + bought + him + the sweater

Subject + verb + direct object + indirect object

She + gave + a letter + to him.
We + bought + the sweater + for him.


When do we put to? And for?

We give something TO someone, and we buy something FOR someone.

Some verbs with TO:
bring, feed, give, hand, lend, offer, owe, pass, pay, post, promise, read, sell, send, show, take, teach, tell, throw, write


Some verbs with FOR:
book, bring, build, buy, choose, cook, fetch, find, get, leave, make, order, pick, reserve, save


As we have seen, sometimes there is a pronoun and a noun after a verb such as give. The pronoun usually comes before the noun.

He gave her some flowers.


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