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English Grammar Guidebook

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Position of Object Pronouns

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When there is a sentence with more than one object pronoun, the rule is as follows:

1. PLACE THE DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN DIRECTLY AFTER THE VERB

2. ANY INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN WILL COME LAST.

EXAMPLES

–The lawyer gives you the envelope.
–>He gives it to you.

–They will send me some letters.
–>They'll send them to me.

–He's explaining the will to us.
–>He's explaining it to us.

Note that when you use a direct object pronoun, it comes earlier in the sentence than its noun equivalent:

–I give you a visa.
–>I give it to you.

The example below points to a problem with object word order in English. When a noun is the direct object, it normally comes last in the sentence (I wrote them a check.). When a pronoun is the direct object, the indirect object moves to the end of the sentence, and is preceded by to:

–She's leaving you her estate.
–>She's leaving it to you.



Examples of Position of Object Pronouns

  • I gave Nancy the book.- I gave it to her.
  • I sent Bill some flowers. - I sent them to him.