Verbs with Two Objects (Double-Object Verbs)
Hello, English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. Today, we will look at verbs with two objects, also known as double-object verbs.
Some English verbs can take two objects at the same time:
- a direct object (usually a thing)
- an indirect object (usually a person)
Look at these examples:
I gave Peter an apple.
My mum made me a cup of coffee.
My mum made me a cup of coffee.
In both sentences:
- The indirect object refers to a person (Peter, me)
- The direct object refers to a thing (an apple, a cup of coffee)
Changing the order of objects
When the indirect object comes first, no preposition is used:
I gave Peter an apple.
My mum made me a cup of coffee.
My mum made me a cup of coffee.
When the direct object comes first, we usually add to or for before the indirect object:
I gave an apple to Peter.
My mum made a cup of coffee for me.
My mum made a cup of coffee for me.
General rule
- to → giving, sending, showing
- for → doing something for someone’s benefit
Common verbs with two objects (with examples)
Bring
Mother brought me a bowl of soup.
Mother brought a bowl of soup to me.
Mother brought a bowl of soup to me.
Build
They built the citizens a bridge across the canal.
They built a bridge across the canal for the citizens.
They built a bridge across the canal for the citizens.
Buy
My parents bought me a bicycle for my birthday.
My parents bought a bicycle for me for my birthday.
My parents bought a bicycle for me for my birthday.
Cost (important exception)
This tablet cost me a pretty penny.
❌ NOT: This tablet cost a pretty penny to me.
👉 Cost does not use “to” or “for”.
👉 Cost does not use “to” or “for”.
Get
Shall I get you a cup of tea?
Shall I get a cup of tea for you?
Shall I get a cup of tea for you?
Give
They gave us T-shirts.
They gave T-shirts to us.
They gave T-shirts to us.
Leave
Why don’t you leave Fiona a message?
Why don’t you leave a message for Fiona?
Why don’t you leave a message for Fiona?
Lend
The bank refused to lend me the money.
The bank refused to lend the money to me.
The bank refused to lend the money to me.
Make
They made Peter a fruit salad.
They made a fruit salad for Peter.
They made a fruit salad for Peter.
Offer
They offered them a chance to work abroad.
They offered a chance to them.
They offered a chance to them.
More common double-object verbs
Owe
Michael owes me money.
Michael owes money to me.
Michael owes money to me.
Pass
Will you pass me the salt, please?
Will you pass the salt to me?
Will you pass the salt to me?
Pay
Sandra paid us a visit.
Sandra paid a visit to us.
Sandra paid a visit to us.
Play
They played us a video. (informal)
They played a video for us.
They played a video for us.
Post
Sean posted me a letter.
Sean posted a letter to me.
Sean posted a letter to me.
Promise ⚠️
They promised the workers better salaries.
❌ NOT: They promised to the workers better salaries.
Final group of verbs
Read
Dad read the children a story.
Dad read a story to the children.
Dad read a story to the children.
Refuse
They refused us permission to sell alcohol at the stadium.
They refused permission to us to sell alcohol at the stadium.
They refused permission to us to sell alcohol at the stadium.
Sell
Paul sold me a phone.
Paul sold a phone to me.
Paul sold a phone to me.
Send
Monica sent us a parcel.
Monica sent a parcel to us.
Monica sent a parcel to us.
Show
The guide showed us the castle.
The guide showed the castle to us.
The guide showed the castle to us.
Sing
Everyone sang me a song for my birthday.
Everyone sang a song for me for my birthday.
Everyone sang a song for me for my birthday.
Take
The student took his host family a present.
The student took a present for his host family.
The student took a present for his host family.
Teach
They taught the children a new lesson.
They taught a new lesson to the children.
They taught a new lesson to the children.
Tell
Bob told me a funny joke.
Bob told a funny joke to me.
Bob told a funny joke to me.
Throw
He threw me a ball.
He threw a ball to me.
He threw a ball to me.
Wish
I wish you a merry Christmas.
(The “to” version is grammatically possible but very rare and formal.)
Write
Mark wrote me a letter.
Mark wrote a letter to me.
Mark wrote a letter to me.
Key takeaways
✔ Many English verbs can take two objects
✔ Indirect object first → no preposition
✔ Direct object first → usually to or for
✔ Some verbs have special rules (cost, promise)
✔ Indirect object first → no preposition
✔ Direct object first → usually to or for
✔ Some verbs have special rules (cost, promise)
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