read me

[Humble]

Hello,
I always stumble when I have to choose between

1. Please read me the story ( it sounds awkward to my ears)
2. Please read the story to me.
3. Please read to me the story.
Is read me good English? Could anybody please comment on that?
TIA

[Clayton]

"Please read me the story" is perfectly fine. No worries.

[Clayton]

"Please read me the story" and "Please read the story to me" are both fine, in fact.

But I would never say "Please read to me the story." While it IS possible to say "Please read to me" (or "Please sing to me"), this isn't the same as saying "Please read to me the story."

The difference is that "Please read to me the story" contains both a direct object ("the story") and an indirect object ("me"). When we have sentences with both direct and indirect objects, they follow either of these constructions:

SUBJECT + VERB + DIRECT OBJECT + TO + INDIRECT OBJECT
John + gave + the book + to + me

OR

SUBJECT + VERB + INDIRECT OBJECT + DIRECT OBJECT
John + gave + me + the book

The same is true for "Please read the story to me" or "Please read me the story." You cannot say "Please read to me the story" because "to" is not used if the indirect object comes before the direct object.

[tom slocombe]

Hi, clayton is right .
1 and 2 are fine
3 would not be used

[Humble]

Tnx, folks!
Yes, Clayton, you are right, to me usually stands at the end, after the direct object. But I think not with all verbs.
1. Please explain to me this rule. – rule is logically stressed.
2. Please explain this rule to me. – to me is logically stressed.

3. Please describe to me the perpetrator.
4. Please describe the perpetrator to me.
Aren’t 1 and 3 correct?
Another interesting case, the verb write. AFAIK,
Why don’t you write me? – AmE
Why don’t you write to me? - BrE

Tnx

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Humble

Tnx, folks!
Yes, Clayton, you are right, to me usually stands at the end, after the direct object. But I think not with all verbs.
1. Please explain to me this rule. – rule is logically stressed.
2. Please explain this rule to me. – to me is logically stressed.

3. Please describe to me the perpetrator.
4. Please describe the perpetrator to me.
Aren’t 1 and 3 correct?
Another interesting case, the verb write. AFAIK,
Why don’t you write me? – AmE
Why don’t you write to me? - BrE

Tnx

Although "Please...to me" is more usual, sentences 1 and 3 are not incorrect.

[Humble]

Thank you, RonBee.

[kristinita]

Absolutely agree with RonBee