Ditransi(ve complementa(on

Noun phrases as both indirect and direct object

Ditransi3ve complementa3on in its basic form involves two object noun phrases: an indirect
object, which is normally animate and posi3oned first, and a direct object, which is normally
concrete.

The difference between this and complex transi3ve complementa3on is seen is:

He found her a loyal friend. ∼ She was a loyal friend. [complex transi3ve]
He found her an apartment. ∼ The apartment was for her. [The apartment was for her.]

Some ditransi3ve verbs have two passive analogues, which can be dis3nguished as ‘first’ and
‘second’.

He gave the girl a doll.

The girl was given a doll. [first passive]
A doll was given the girl. [second passive]

Of these two, the first passive, in which the indirect object becomes subject, is the more common.
The preposi3onal paraphrase is more usual, as an alterna3ve, than the second passive.

A doll was given to the girl.

Object and preposi3onal object

In the ditransi3ve category, preposi3onal verbs form an important group with its own sub-
divisions. Along the ordinary indirect object paLern, two main preposi3onal paLerns may be
dis3nguished:

a) indirect object + direct object, e.g. allow, charge, refuse;

b) direct object + preposi3onal object, e.g. address to, explain to, announce to;
c) indirect object + preposi3onal object, e.g. subject to, persuade of, compare with.

The indirect object is normally animate, and is the recipient or beneficiary of the process described
by the verb. Unlike ditransi3ve verbs which require noun phrases as both objects, ditransi3ve
verbs with preposi3onal objects normally have only one passive.

We addressed our remarks to the children. ∼ Our remarks were addressed to the children.
*The children were addressed our remarks (to).

We reminded him of the agreement. ∼ He was reminded of the agreement.

*The agreement was reminded him (of).

Some verbs have all three possibili3es of construc3on in the ac3ve; many have two, for others
there is only one possibility (in some cases the alterna3ves are not iden3cal but very similar in
meaning).
all three: tell, serve, pay

Mary told only John the secret [a]

Mary told the secret only to John. [b]
Mary told only John about the secret. [c]

two: offer, envy, blame

John offered Mary some help. [a]

John offered some help to Mary. [b]

She envied John his success. [a]

She envied John for his success. [c]

Helen blamed the divorce on John. [b]

Helen blamed John for the divorce. [c]

only one: wish, say, warn

The wished him good luck. [a]

Why didn’t anybody say this to me? [b]
Mary warned John of the danger. [c]

Note that the different construc3onal possibili3es of certain verbs provide a means of achieving
different focus. Compare the following pairs of sentences as pronounced with unmarked (end)
focus.

Mary blamed the broken vase on JÒHN.

Mary blamed John for the broken VÀSE.

The government supplied blankets for the HÒMEless.

The government supplied the homeless with the BLÀNKets.

The above construc3ons are presented in the most typical syntac3c ordering, but postponement of
the direct object or indirect object may take place in contexts where end-focus or end-weight is
required.

John offered to Mary the help that she needed.

There is also the double-preposi3onal-verb paLern here.

I am applying to the hospital for a job.

There is a further possibility that two preposi3onal objects may follow a direct object.

We are paying $100 to the garage for the repairs.

It is important to note that reflexive verbs occur some3mes with a preposi3onal object.

We pride ourselves on the service we offer.

Some of the verbs, such as compare with, can have two inanimate objects.

There is a group of verbs, such as catch sight of, give way to, keep pace with, for which the direct
object forms part of an idioma3c unit with the verb and the preposi3on.

Belonging to this group are also verbs like make allowance for, take account of, take care of, which
can take not only a preposi3onal passive but can also easily take a passive for which the
idioma3cally-fixed direct object becomes a subject.

(Some) allowance was made for loss of earnings.

(LiLle) no3ce was taken of this event.

Other verbs can take the passive, but with greater difficulty. With these examples, as with
preposi3onal verbs in general, idioma3c cohesion in a maLer of gradience.

Variants of ditransi(ve complementa(on

Indirect object + that-clause object

Corresponding to monotransi3ve verbs, there are ditransi3ve verbs for which the direct object is a
that-clause.

John convinced me (that) he was right. ∼ I was convinced (by John) (that) he was right.

The second passive is unacceptable when the direct object is a clause.

*That he was right was convinced by me.

Thus the first passive is the only passive that can occur with this paLern. With some verbs, such as
convince, it is impossible to delete the noun phrase object.

*John convinced (that) he was right.

With other verbs, such as show, the indirect object is op3onal.

The professor of mathema3cs showed me that Pythagoras was mistaken. ∼ The professor of
mathema3cs showed that Pythagoras was mistaken.

Ditransi3ve verbs followed by a that-clause may be divided into a subtype introducing an indirect
statement (such as assure, convince, bet), and a subtype introducing an indirect direc3ve (charge,
ask, instruct).

In the indirect statement, the that-clause contains an indica3ve verb.

May I inform you that your order is ready for collec(on?

In the indirect direc3ve, the verb may be indica3ve or subjunc3ve, and oaen contain puta3ve
should or another modal verb.
 might be

She pe<<oned the king that her father should be pardoned.

be

The indirect direc3ve construc3on is rare and formal in comparison with the similar infini3ve
construc3on.

would
?I begged her that she help. <formal>
should
I begged her to help. <more usual>

Preposi3onal object + that-clause object

Some verbs, such as show, report, write, can be op3onally followed by a preposi3on, thus forming
a new category.

He promised ((to) me) that the debt would be repaid.

For most verbs which permit a preposi3onal object, the preposi3on is to.

Excep3ons are ask and beg, which (in somewhat formal usage) are followed by the preposi3on of.

I ask/beg of you that you will keep this secret. <formal>

There is, in addi3on, a group of verbs which were classified as monotransi3ve, but which op3onally
allow the preposi3on to preceding a preposi3onal object. They may be subdivided into two sub-
types. Verbs such as admit, declare, signal, introduce indirect statements, and verbs like propose,
recommend, suggest, introduce indirect direc<ves.

Some excep3onal verbs take a preposi3on other than to.

She demanded of me that … She agreed with me that …

Unlike the nonpreposi3onal verbs of this category, these preposi3onal verbs allow the that-clause
to become subject of a corresponding passive clause, an op3on which is more acceptable with
extraposi3on.

That several ministers are resigning has been admiLed to our correspondent. ∼ It has been
admiLed to our correspondent that several ministers are resigning.
It has been shown to us all that Ms Jones was innocent.

Without the preposi3on, i.e. with an ordinary indirect object, such sentences are at best
marginally gramma3cal.

?*It has been shown us all that Ms Jones was innocent.

The construc3ons of It appears/happens/occurs/seems to me that … superficially appear to belong
to this paLern, but in fact these contain monotransi3ve verbs with an extraposed that-clause as
subject.

It occurred/seemed to me that he was lying.

Indirect object + finite wh-clause object

This paLern of complementa3on is primarily found with the verb ask, which introduces a reported
ques3on.

John asked me what 3me the mee3ng would end. ∼ I was asked (by John) what 3me the mee3ng
would end.

Also used with this paLern are verbs which take an indirect object followed by a that-clause, but
for these the wh-clause tends to be limited to nonasser3ve contexts. Compare:

George didn’t tell them that the train was late.

George didn’t tell them whether the train was late.

The difference of meaning between the that- and whether-construc3on can be stated in terms of
presupposi3on. The first sentence typically implies that the train was late, while the second is
noncommiLal on the maLer.

Verbs belonging to this category can also be used with other ques3on words such as where and
how.

Jim was reluctant to inform us (of) where he got the money.

Would you remind me (about) how we start the engine?

A preposi3on may always be placed before the wh-clause. In the above examples, the preposi3on
is op3onal, but in the case of verbs like enquire of the preposi3on is obligatory.

I enquired of the clerk which documents were needed.

The complex preposi3on as to can be, rather generally, used for introducing the wh-clause.

I enquired as to which documents were needed.

Indirect object + wh-infini3ve clause object

This complementa3on paLern takes verbs such as advise, instruct, remind.

The instructor taught us how to land safely. ∼ We were taught (by the instructor) how to land
safely.

The equivalent preposi3onal paLern is illustrated by verbs such as suggest to or recommend to.

Could you please suggest to the visitors which museums to visit?

Also, a preposi3onal phrase introduced by as to can be used.

Helen advised us (as to) how to maintain the machine.

Indirect object + to-infini3ve clause object

These verbs introduce indirect direc3ves.

I told/advised/persuaded Mark to see a doctor. ∼ Mark was told/advised/persuaded to see a

doctor.

This paLern differs from others in which the verb is followed by a noun phrase and an infini3ve
construc3on in that the noun phrase following the verb is an indirect object. As with other verbs
introducing indirect speech, the subject refers to the speaker of some speech act, and the indirect
object refers to the addressee.

Verbs belonging to this category form only the first passive.

*To see a doctor was told Mark.

Some verbs, such as challenge, detail, request, do not have the equivalent construc3on with a
that-clause containing a modal or a subjunc3ve verb.

begged
They her to stay another week.
invited

begged
They (her) that she would stay another week.
*invited

The alterna3ve that-clause construc3on, however, is more formal, especially when the indirect
object is present.

The verb promise, when it occurs with this kind of complementa3on, is excep3onal in that the
understood subject of the infini3ve is iden3fied with the subject rather than with the object of the
main clause.

Sam promised me to get some food.

= Sam promised me that he would get some food.
≠ Sam promised me that I would get some food.

The present paLern is, however, less common with promise than the paLern without the indirect
object.

Sam promised to get some food.

Only order can be followed by a passive infini3ve.

He ordered them to be imprisoned/released.

(Source: Quirk, R. et al, A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. London: Longman, 1985)