The Third and Fourth Sentence Patterns — Rewriting SVOO

The third sentence pattern, SVO, is the most basic pattern, in which “the subject performs an action on the object.” The fourth sentence pattern, SVOO, is the pattern of giving “a person something,” and rewriting it as the third sentence pattern using to/for is important.

Basic Rules

Rewriting the fourth sentence pattern SVOO is frequently tested. “Subject + V + person + thing” → “Subject + V + thing + to/for + person.” Whether to use to or for is determined by the verb:
- to group (actions of delivering something to the other person): give / send / show / tell / teach / lend / pass / write / bring / hand / read / sell / offer
- for group (actions of preparing something for the other person): buy / make / get / cook / find / order / choose / build / leave (keep for someone)
The essential distinction is that to indicates “direction or the essential presence of the other person,” while for indicates “purpose; the action can be completed even if the other person is absent.” Thinking of “I bought a present. (It is possible simply to buy one.)” versus “I gave a present. (To whom?)” makes the distinction clear.
Verbs used only in SVOO (cannot be rewritten): save / cost / take. These take a person only as an indirect object, as in “It took me two hours. (× It took two hours to me.)”

Points to Note

① ask often takes to: He asked me a question. = He asked a question of me. (ask is a special case that takes of).
② The semantic difference between to and for: to indicates that the action is directed toward the other person, while for indicates that it is for the other person’s benefit. teach / show / give involve direct actions toward the other person, so they take to; buy / make / cook involve preparing something for the other person, so they take for.
③ Passive forms of the fourth sentence pattern: Either the indirect object or the direct object can become the subject:
- He gave me a book. → I was given a book. / A book was given to me.
- He bought me a present. → A present was bought for me. (With many verbs, making the indirect object passive is unnatural.)
④ explain / suggest / describe / introduce and similar verbs take only SVO + to + person (× He explained me the rule → ○ He explained the rule to me). Be careful because SVOO is not possible.
⑤ A form close to inversion: The construction “passive voice + complement,” as in “She was offered a job by the company,” in which the indirect object becomes the subject, is frequently tested.

Practice

1. Rewrite the following sentence as the third sentence pattern: She lent me her umbrella.
2. Rewrite the following sentence as the third sentence pattern: My mother made me a cake.
3. Correct the error: He explained me the answer.