Give Me the Key: Verbs with Two Objects
By the end: I can identify a recipient and a thing, and choose an appropriate two-object pattern.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Before you start
Think of something you gave, sent or bought for someone recently.
Useful background: Object pronouns, direct objects and to/for.
Recipient first, thing second
Some verbs take a recipient followed by the thing transferred or communicated. Use object pronouns for recipients. Not every English verb allows this pattern.
She gave me the key.
I sent Ben a message.
Thing first, then to or for
Give, send and show commonly use to before a following recipient. Buy and make commonly use for when someone benefits from the action. Keep the intended meaning clear; the prepositions are not interchangeable in every sentence.
She gave the key to me.
I bought a notebook for Ana.
Choose a natural pattern
With a short thing-pronoun such as it or them, the thing-plus-preposition order is a clear widely useful model: send it to me. Explain normally takes the thing plus to the person, not explain me the problem.
Please send it to me.
Could you explain the task to us?
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare the meaning and form; the model is one possible answer.
1. Identify the recipient and thing: Leo sent Maya a photo.
Compare a model and explanation
Maya is the recipient; a photo is the thing sent.
The first object is the recipient in this pattern.
2. Rewrite with to: She gave me the address.
Compare a model and explanation
She gave the address to me.
Put the thing first and introduce its recipient with to.
3. Rewrite with two objects: I bought a ticket for Ben.
Compare a model and explanation
I bought Ben a ticket.
Buy allows the beneficiary-first pattern here.
4. Complete: Please show it ___ us.
Compare a model and explanation
to
Show commonly takes thing plus to recipient.
5. Correct: Can you explain me the rule?
Compare a model and explanation
Can you explain the rule to me?
Explain does not normally take the give-me double-object pattern.
6. Complete: I made a card ___ my sister.
Compare a model and explanation
for
For identifies the beneficiary of making the card.
7. Replace the file with it: Send the file to Lina.
Compare a model and explanation
Send it to Lina.
The pronoun replaces the thing, not the recipient.
8. Why is changing every verb to recipient + thing risky? Give one example.
Compare a model and explanation
Verb patterns differ. We can say give me the key, but normally say explain the rule to me, not explain me the rule.
The construction is partly determined by the individual verb.
A short conversation
Listen first if you can, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: Could you send me the new timetable?
B: Of course. I’ll send it to you after lunch.
A: Thanks. Could you explain the colour codes to me too?
B: Yes. I also made a short guide for the new students.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have their own score.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer in each situation. Your score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking task 1
Describe three things you gave, sent, showed or bought for someone. Use both object orders.
Reveal a possible response
I sent my friend a photo, gave a spare key to my neighbour and bought a notebook for my cousin. Later, I showed my cousin the photo too.
Success check: Keep each recipient linked to the correct thing.
Speaking task 2
Role-play asking a tutor for a file, an example and an explanation.
Reveal a possible response
Could you send me the file? Please show one example to us, and then explain the instructions to me again.
Success check: Do not force explain into a double-object pattern.
Speaking task 3
Explain the difference between buying a person a gift and sending a gift to a person. Then invent an example involving both.
Reveal a possible response
Buying describes the purchase for someone’s benefit; sending describes its transfer. I bought Maya a book and sent it to her the next day.
Success check: Keep to and for connected to their intended relationships.
Take it with you
I can identify a recipient and a thing, and choose an appropriate two-object pattern.