in order to

[navi tasan]

Which of these sentences are correct:
1-I bought a book to give to John.
2-I bought that book to give to John.

3-I bought a book to give it to John.
4-I bought that book to give it to John.

5-I bought a book in order to give to John.
6-I bought that book in order to give to John.

7-I bought a book in order to give it to John.
8-I bouth that book in order to give it to John.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by navi tasan

Which of these sentences are correct:
1-I bought a book to give to John.
2-I bought that book to give to John.

3-I bought a book to give it to John.
4-I bought that book to give it to John.

5-I bought a book in order to give to John.
6-I bought that book in order to give to John.

7-I bought a book in order to give it to John.
8-I bought that book in order to give it to John.

1, 2, 4, 7, 8

Regards,
RonBee
8)

[vvaann]

Ronbee, could you please explain why 3 is incorrect? Thanks

Originally Posted by vvaann

Ronbee, could you please explain why 3 is incorrect? Thanks

RonBee isn't here at the moment. Do you mind if I expain it?


3-I bought a book to give it to John.


If you use "book" and "it", there is a double direct object that goes to the verb "bought" which is of course the past form of "buy".

book = it - in this sentence

it = book - in this sentence

You can't use both of them.

You can say: I bought a book to give to John.

or: I bought it to give to John.

I think it is really better to simply say: I bought a book for John.

In the context of the conversation, the person listening would most likely know that the book is for John.

(No one bought a book for John because John was not able to for some reason. - This is the other possible meaning of the sentence, but it is not very likely that it would be meant in this way.)

[RonBee]

Thanks, CS. I wouldn't have been able to explain that as well as you did. :)

Regards,
RonBee
8)

You're welcome.

:)

[vvaann]

So, CitySpeak proved that sentence number 3 was wrong, and, therefore, I can conlude the same with sentence number 4. However, RonBee wrote that sentence no. 4 is okay. Why? CitySpeak against RonBee?

4-I bought that book to give it to John. <<


This is a better way to write it:


I bought that book so that I could give it to John.


It's better as I've rewritten it. There are two clauses in this sentence. Each clause has a verb and a direct object.

I bought that book - bought = verb - book = the direct object

so that I could give it to John - give = verb - it = direct object

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by vvaann

So, CitySpeak proved that sentence number 3 was wrong, and, therefore, I can conlude the same with sentence number 4. However, RonBee wrote that sentence no. 4 is okay. Why? CitySpeak against RonBee?

Sentence four: "I bought that book to give it to John."

Grammatically, that sentence is fine. The word it refers to that book. In other words, the sentence could be written as, "I bought that book to give that book to John." Of course, it could be stated more simply as "I bought that book for John".

There is no controversy.

Regards,
RonBee
8)