[Grammar] "I read them." or "I read *to* them"?

[incik]

Hi, I'm having some trouble with the ditransitive verb "read". I'd really appreciate your help...

Let me ask this using a scenatio...

I'm visiting a friend and notice some books in the kids' room. I ask the eldest of the three:

Q: - Who reads them?
A: - I read them. (=I read the books.)

Q: - Do your sisters read them?
A1: - No, I read them. (=i.e. I read to my sisters.)
A2: - No, I read to them. (=i.e. I read to my sisters.)

So which ones would be acceptable - A1, A2 or both?
My intuition is that A1 is incomplete without a direct object (such as
"a book" or "a story".

Thanks already,
Have a great day!

 

[Rover_KE]

Welcome to the forum, incik.:hi:

A2 is correct, and your intuition is absolutely right about A1.

 

[emsr2d2]

You could say "No, I read them (the books) to them (my sisters)" in response to "Do your sisters read them?"

 

[Tarheel]

Q: Do your sisters read them?
A: No, I read the books to my sisters.