Unit 4

Position of the object

1. One object

The object is mainly put behind the

verb. subject—> predicate —> object is

the usual order, but sometimes it has a

free position. For example:

① The object can be put in the beginni

ng of a sentence to emphasize it.

e.g. What dull, old-fashioned leather sh

oes he’s wearing!

Talent, Mike has; patience, he has n

ot.

② The object is preposed for a better c

ombination.

e.g.1 His carelessness had led him into g

reat error. That error he determine

d to correct.

2 Jack fried two small pieces of fish.

3 One he fed to his cat, the other

he ate himself.

③ The object can be preposed as the i

nsert.

e.g. He found for the first time the nece

ssity of using it.

They saw playing in the garden a gr

oup of children aged from six

to twelve.

④ The object has two different positions

behind verb phrases.

e.g. He tried out the machine./ He tried t

he machine out.

I’ll put on the radio in a minute. / I’ll

put the radio on in a minute.

※ If the noun phrase is a little bit long, the first position is often used.

e.g. She tried on half a dozen pairs of shoes before she found a suitable one.

※ If the object is a pronoun, the second order must be used.

eg: The bed is too strong, and you can’t break it up.

2. Two objects

通常为 “间接宾语 + 直接宾语” He doesn't own me anything. She asked me whether I had been there before. I warned you he would be late. Give me it./Give it to me. They told us where to shop cheaply.

间接宾语后移 , 间接宾语用 to 或 for 引出 :

They give it to John.

He sold his old car to one of his neighbours.

I have bought some chocolate for you.

Give the dictionary to me, please.

用 to 侧重指动作的方向 , 表示朝着 ,

向着 , 对着某人。用 for 侧重指动作的受益者 , 表示为了某人 , 替某人。常跟双宾语的动词分类总结：

需借助 to 的 : bring, give, lend, hand, offer, pass, pay, promise, read, return, send, show, teach, tell, ask, leave, mail, throw, take, write, 等。需借助 for 的 : build, buy, call, change, cook, choose, do, draw, envy, fetch, find, forgive, gain, get, make, order, play (演奏 ), sing, save, spare, win 等。

e.g. 1 Our teacher explains to us the difficult points in the unit.

2 We disclosed to them the secret of our invention.

3 They expressed to their teacher their conviction that the experiment was true.

4 The guide is describing the scenic spots to the tourists.

e.g. He played me a trick.

He played a trick on me.

Won’t you play some folk songs for us?

Some verbs have to be used as set phrases

when followed by two objects.

有时为了形成对照或是为了突出重点 ,

“ 介词 + 间接宾语”也可移到主语的前面去：To his daughter he sent a cheque of $50 bu

t to his sun he sent only a cheap pen.

如果 “介词 + 间接宾语”比直接宾语短 ,

也可以直接放在谓语动词后：He give to his friends much of the time h

e should have given to his wife and child

ren.

一些句子中 , “ 间接宾语 + 直接宾语”不能变为“直接宾语 + 介词 + 间接宾语”： He give the door a hard kick.

I never give the matter a thought.

She give him a warm smile.

This heroic deed cost him his life.

Exercises

Fill in the blanks using “to” or “for”.

1) Fifty dollars was advanced __ him

on his salary before the work was

done.

2) You should never serve beef __ a

Hindu.

to

to

3) You’d better do your best but prep

are yourself ___ the worst.

4) I’ll send a postcard __ you while I a

m away on holiday.

5) You come up to the City Hall tonig

ht and I’ll fix things ___you.

for

for

to

1. Can you explain ___________?

A. this

problem to me

B. me this problem

C. to me

problem

D. me problem

2. He made a new dress_____ his

wife and gave it ______ her on

her birthday.

A. to; for B.

for; to C. for; for

D. to; to

3. Mr. Smith apologized ___ the

lady ___ what her son had done.

A. to; to

B. to; for

C. for; to

D. for; for

4. Read the letter and ____ him.

A. pass it on to

B. pass on it to

C. pass it for

D. pass it on

5. Which one is not right?_____

A. Will you do me a favour?

B. Will you do a

favour for me? C. Will

you do a favour to me?

D. Will you do me the favour to

help me with my English?

6. The little boy wanted to have a

book at his birthday present, but

the cruel stepmother _____ him

his request.

A. refused B. answered

C. gave D.

promised

7. Which of the following is not true? ___

A. Mr.

Wang taught us physics last year.

B. Mr. Wang taught our physics last

year.

C. Mr. Wang taught

physics to us last year.

D. We were

taught physics by Mr. Wang by last

year.

1. Please remind me______ he said he was going. I may be in time to see him off. （全国 I ）A. where    B. when    

C. how      D. what

2. Choosing the right dictionary depe

nds on ______ you want to use it fo

r. [2007 江苏卷 ]

A. what B. why

C. how D. whether