Which one is Correct?

Question

Please note that items arrived to us in damaged condition / Please note that items arrived us in damaged condition

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Items arrived in damaged condition.

OR

Items arrived to us in damaged condition. (The indirect object is unusual, since "to arrive" is intransitive.)

You could say, "Please note that [the] items arrived at our dock/warehouse in damaged condition."

Dave Phillips · Answer

Please note that items arrived us in a damaged condition - This sounds wrong to me.

Please note that items arrived to us in a damaged condition - This is good.

I would tend to say given the level of formality:

"Please note that the items delivery to us arrived damaged, or the items you sent us were damaged in transit."

Manifon · Answer

please note that items arrived to us in damaged condition

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousPlease note that items arrived to us in damaged condition / Please note that items arrived us in damaged condition

"arrived to us" is not grammatical, as far as I know, and "arrived us" is certainly ungrammatical. I recommend one of the following, depending what exactly you mean:

Please note that [the items / certain items] arrived in (a) damaged condition.

Please note that [the items / certain items] reached us in (a) damaged condition.

Please note that [the items / certain items] were delivered to us in (a) damaged condition.

Please note that we received [the items / certain items] in (a) damaged condition.

Please note that [the items / certain items] were received in (a) damaged condition.

CJ

Johner · Answer

Hi,

Avangi (The indirect object is unusual, since "to arrive" is intransitive.)

I like this explanation, but in this respect how could the following be possible?

CalifJimPlease note that [the items / certain items] reached us in (a) damaged condition.

Is the verb "to reach" transitive?

Avangi · Answer

johnerIs the verb "to reach" transitive?

Yes, exactly! You've hit the nail on the head, johner!

Please note that [the items / certain items] reached us in (a) damaged condition.

(quoted from CJ)

In this particular case, "us" is the direct object, not the indirect object.

Could you please reach me one of those beers? Please reach one of those beers to me. (It's a little bit casual.)

"Me" is the indirect object, and "one" is the direct object.

"Please pass me one" would be better English. Please reach one for me.

Avangi · Answer

Thanks, Jim.

Johner · Answer

Hi Avangi,

Avangi You've hit the nail on the head, johner!

In all this time I've only done one noteworthy thing. Confession: I looked up this idiom in the dictionary

. I hope it worked. Thanks for your explanation but to be honest it's so high level that it's not possible for me to understand. But now at least I know "to reach" is a transitive verb even if it sounds like it is not.

Thanks again...

Avangi · Answer

johner it's so high level that it's not possible for me to understand.

I wish I could take that as a compliment, but I know I must not.

Intransitive verbs generally don't have objects.

Many verbs have both transitive and intransitive uses. Others are only one, or only the other.

The dictionary lists the uses separately within the single entry for the verb (tr. / intr.).

"To reach" is a little tough.

I finally reached him on the golf course. "Him" is the direct object.

You need to reach out! I'd call this intransitive. "Out" is adverbial. (I suppose some might call "reach out" a compound verb.)

You need to reach out to him! I think this is still intransitive. "To him" is not an object. It's just a prepositional phrase describing the action (functioning adverbially).

Try to reach him for me. The infinitive can take objects. "Him" is the direct object and "me" is the indirect object.

Try to reach me that can on the top shelf. "Can" is the direct object, and "me" is the indirect object.

Johner · Answer

Hi,

AvangiMany verbs have both transitive and intransitive uses.

I guess this is because in English there are many verbs which have multiple meaning. I've understood why "to reach" is both tr. and intr. and I hope I could make it work for the other verbs too.

Thanks for the elaboration.

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