[General] Is this a mistake or not?

[Amalgianna]

Hello!
I'd like to know what the difference between "he doesn't show his novels anyone" and "he doesn't show his novels to anyone". Is it a mistake not to use the word "to"?
I'd be very grateful.

 

[GoesStation]

The preposition to is required.

 

[Yankee]

Novels or "navels" :-? If it's "novels", what's the purpose of writing his novels?

 

[jutfrank]

The verb show takes three arguments. That is, for it to make sense, you need one thing to do the showing (usually a person), another thing that is shown, and another thing (usually a person) to see the showing.

There are two ways to construct this grammatically, following different patterns:

• to show somebody something
  
• to show something to somebody

 

[Amalgianna]

The verb show takes three arguments. That is, for it to make sense, you need one thing to do the showing (usually a person), another thing that is shown, and another thing (usually a person) to see the showing.

There are two ways to construct this grammatically, following different patterns:

• to show somebody something
  
• to show something to somebody

Oh, thank you so much. So the sentences "he doesn't show anyone his novels" is correct?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes. It follows the first of the two patterns I presented in post #4.

 

[Tarheel]

Are those your sentences?