1, 2, 4, 7, 8Originally Posted by navi tasan
Regards,
RonBee
8)

Academic
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.
1, 2, 4, 7, 8Originally Posted by navi tasan
Regards,
RonBee
8)
Ronbee, could you please explain why 3 is incorrect? Thanks
Originally Posted by vvaann
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.)
Thanks, CS. I wouldn't have been able to explain that as well as you did. :)
Regards,
RonBee
8)
You're welcome.
:)
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
Sentence four: "I bought that book to give it to John."Originally Posted by vvaann
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)