The Preposition "To" in Verbs

Question

Friends,Why is the preposition "to" used of the verb for replying to a question, but not of the verb of questioning?For example:"Let us ask God" is correct, not "Let us ask to God""God responds to us" is correct, not "God responds us".There is no correspondence between the correct ones.Does this have to do with the direction of the verbs, from subject to object, and object to subject?Thank you...

GPY · Accepted Answer

It's because "ask" is (in this instance) transitive while "respond" is intransitive. There is no reason to believe that this has anything to do with the direction of the verbs; it's "just the way it is". After all "inquire" is intransitive and "answer" is transitive, which is the exact opposite way round.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousWhy is the preposition "to" used of the verb for replying to a question, but not of the verb of questioning?

Pure coincidence. Each verb has its own rules regarding the grammatical patterns that can surround them. It just happens that the verbs "ask" and "respond" are in different verb groups, and this fact has nothing to do with their meaning.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

GPY while "respond" is intransitive

It may be transitive: He responded that he might be late.

GPY · Answer

AnonymousIt may be transitive: He responded that he might be late.

That isn't transitive. Anyway, the point is that it is intransitive in the case that the OP asked about.

Anonymous · Answer

GPY AnonymousIt may be transitive: He responded that he might be late.That isn't transitive. Anyway, the point is that it is intransitive in the case that the OP asked about.

I'd argue that it is. That-clause is an object.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI'd argue that it is. That-clause is an object.

Nowadays grammarians seldom consider that-clauses objects. The latest books on grammar prefer to restrict 'object' to noun phrases (NPs).

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJim AnonymousI'd argue that it is. That-clause is an object.Nowadays grammarians seldom consider that-clauses objects. The latest books on grammar prefer to restrict 'object' to noun phrases (NPs).CJ

If not, then what is the function of the that-clause in the sentence? Is it a sort of adverbial?

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousIf not, then what is the function of the that-clause in the sentence? Is it a sort of adverbial?

It goes under the category of "complement" as far as I know. (Not adverbial, no.) Frankly, I'm not much of an expert at the most recent theories, but as I understand it, verb complements include objects (direct and indirect) and clauses (e.g., a that-clause, also called a "content clause".)

So the grammarians are now saying that certain verbs take object complements, and some take clause complements, and some take both, and some take neither, and so on.

For example, you can have I hope that you are successful, but not *I hope success. So the verb hope can take a content clause complement, but not a direct object complement. I imagine that such distinctions are helpful for people learning English, but for native speakers, of course, it makes no difference because we already know all that instinctively.

At least that's my small understanding of it. I just mention it so you don't get put out by some of the new terminology and analytical methods that come out in some of the posts you'll see.

CJ

GPY · Answer

Anonymous GPY AnonymousIt may be transitive: He responded that he might be late.That isn't transitive. Anyway, the point is that it is intransitive in the case that the OP asked about.I'd argue that it is. That-clause is an object.

I've never considered that-clauses to be true verb objects, but I'm not a technical grammar expert so ultimately I would have to defer to those who are.

The Preposition "To" in Verbs

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