Apedia

Offered Eat Boy Offer Man Indirect Object Direct

Idx 1964
Keyword offer
Sub Entry Number 2
Type of Sentence
Error Sentence The old man then offered something to eat to the little boy.
Correct Sentence The old man then offered the little boy something to eat.
Cloze Error Sentence The old man then offered [[something to eat to the little boy]].
Cloze Sentence The old man then offered [[the little boy something to eat]].
Cloze Answer the little boy something to eat
Choices something to eat to the little boy | the little boy something to eat
Explanation

The usual pattern is offer sb sth (offer + indirect object + direct object): 'He offered me a job.' 'They've offered Maria a place on the intermediate course.'

Use offer something to someone only when the direct object is a pronoun or is much shorter than the indirect object: 'She offered it to George but he didn't want it.' 'I offered the apple to the first child that could answer my question.'

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