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Allthewayanime Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Verbs with 2 objects

I know that some verbs allow you to place the indirect object directly after the verb; some don't. Other verbs are say, explain, confirm,confess etc.I would like to know if there are others:

Explain the problem to me/Explain to me the problem

He said hello to me./he said to me hello.
  

Top answer

Yes, there are many others, but I don't have a list handy. I'll see what I can find. "He said to me hello" would work only as direct speech.

— Avangi

  • Yes, there are many others, but I don't have a list handy.
  • I'll see what I can find.
  • "He said to me hello" would work only as direct speech.
  • Edit.
  • " take accept analyse attempt bathe beg bless brush bury calculate carry close Too many to list!
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6 Answers
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Yes, there are many others, but I don't have a list handy. I'll see what I can find.

"He said to me hello" would work only as direct speech.

Edit.

There are a lot of action verbs with which we must say, "do X for me."

Eg, "Bathe the baby for me." Not "Bathe me the baby."

take

accept

analyse

attempt

bat
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Explain the problem to me. OK.

Explain to me the problem. No.

He said hello to me. OK.

He said to me hello. No.

Please don't get into the habit of putting words between a verb and its object(s).
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... some verbs allow you to place the indirect object directly after the verb; some don't.

Yes. There are three categories.

1. Alternating. Place the indirect object directly after the verb or after the direct object with 'to'1.

I gave him the answer. / I gave the answer to him. (Never
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What about the verb to confess:

I confessed to me his crime.(I've seen it many times this way)
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*He confessed to me his crime.
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