Sentence With Two Objects

Many verbs can have two objects – one direct object and one indirect object.

Usually the indirect object refers to a person, and this often comes first.

For example: "He gave his sister a camera". If we put the indirect object last, we use a preposition (usually to or for). For example: "I passed my licence to the policeman".

Two objects in an active sentences – two possible passive sentences

When there are two objects in an active sentence, there are two possible active sentences and two possible passive sentences.

• Sentence 1: The professor gave the students the books.
• Sentence 2: The professor gave the books to the students.

There are two objects in each of the following sentences:

• Object 1 = indirect object → the students
• Object 2 = direct object → the books

An indirect object is very often a person, a direct object a thing. When a direct object is followed by an indirect one, we put to in front of the indirect object.

Active sentence 1

Subject	Verb	indirect Object	direct Object
The professor	gave	the students	the books.

Active sentence 2

Subject	Verb	direct Object	indirect Object with to
The professor	gave	the books	to the students.

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Each of the objects (books/students) in the active sentences can become subject in the passive sentence.

Passive sentence 1

Subject	Verb	Object	(by-agent)
The students	were given	the books.	(by the professor).

Passive sentence 2

Subject	Verb	Object	(by-agent)
The books	were given	to the students	(by the professor).

Watch Video:

Reinforces what was learned:

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=8982#a

References

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/verbs-with-two-objects

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/passive_two_objects.htm