Clause Pattern: Subject – Verb – Indirect Object – Direct Object (SVO_i O_d )

Understanding the construction and use of the subject – verb – indirect object - direct object clause pattern

This pattern consists of a subjectA noun phrase (a person or a thing) or a nominal clause normally placed before a verb phrase and which acts as the performer of the verb., a ditransitiveA verb which requires a direct object and an indirect object. verb, an indirect objectAn indirect object is the 'thing' which is indirectly affected by a ditransitive verb. and a direct objectA direct object is the 'thing' which is directly affected by a transitive verb. It may be a noun, noun phrase, nominal clause, an ing-clause, a to-cause, or a pronoun.. (Mouse over the sentences to see information about the syntax.)

• But emperor penguins endure it, to giveditransitive verb their chicksindirect object the best start in lifedirect object. (Younger 2019)
• Isubject write to someone, or sendditransitive verb themindirect object a programdirect object and they would infallibly receive it when they next logged in. (Zobel 2014)
• Often, manuscriptssubject can giveditransitive verb modern readersindirect object modern readersindirect object. (Farina 2022)

Examples with nominal direct objects

• The location of these dotssubject tellsditransitive verb scientistsindirect object how the atoms are arranged in the moleculedirect object. (Helms 2022)
• The mix of colors in beach sandsubject tellsditransitive verb youindirect object what kinds of rocks produced itdirect object. (Montgomery 2019)
• Some adultssubject may tellditransitive verb kidsindirect object that drinking caffeine will stunt their growthdirect object. (Temple 2020)