3. Indirect Object and Similar Idioms
105. Some verbs of giving, telling, refusing, and the like, may take two objects, a direct object and an indirect object.
The indirect object denotes the person or thing toward whom or toward which is directed the action expressed by the rest of the predicate.
| Direct Object only | Direct Object and Indirect Object |
|---|---|
| Dick sold his bicycle. | Dick sold John his bicycle. |
| I gave permission. | I gave this man permission. |
| He paid a dollar. | He paid the gardener a dollar. |
| She taught Latin. | She taught my children Latin. |
Most of the verbs that admit an indirect object are included in the following list:—
- allot,
- allow,
- assign,
- bequeath,
- bring,
- deny,
- ensure,
- fetch,
- fling,
- forbid,
- forgive,
- give,
- grant,
- guarantee,
- hand,
- lease,
- leave,
- lend,
- let,
- owe,
- pardon,
- pass,
- pay,
- refund,
- refuse,
- remit,
- restore,
- sell,
- send,
- show,
- sing,
- spare,
- teach,
- tell,
- throw,
- toss,
- vouchsafe.
Pronouns are commoner as indirect objects than nouns.
- They denied her the necessities of life.
- I guaranteed them a handsome profit.
- The king vouchsafed them an audience.
It is always possible to insert the preposition to before the indirect object without changing the sense.
Since the indirect object is equivalent to an adverbial phrase, it is classed as a modifier of the verb.