Misunderstandings in Sentence Structure: 'Can I Say Like This?'

Many English learners often encounter ambiguous or misleading phrases when trying to construct sentences. For example, the phrase 'can I say like this' - it may seem unclear at first glance and can lead to grammatical errors. This article aims to clarify such misunderstandings, particularly focusing on the usage of indirect and direct objects in English.

Can I Say Like This?

The given example highlights a common mistake: “Can I say like this: I will send my son to the post office,” and the corrected version: “I will send my son to the post office.”

Errors in the Original Sentence

The initial sentence is grammatically incorrect. When restructured to 'I will send the post office my son,' it implies that the speaker plans to sacrifice their son to the post office, which is completely absurd. Thus, the correct sentence is 'I will send my son to the post office.'

Understanding the Problem

Here’s a detailed breakdown of why the original sentence is incorrect and the correct way to construct it.

Short Answer: No

The first sentence incorrectly uses the prepositional phrase 'to the post office' as an indirect object, which leads to a nonsensical statement. The second sentence uses a simplified form of the verb 'to send,' which is grammatically correct in this context.

Longer Answer: Simplifying Sentence Structure

English allows for certain verbs, such as 'send' and 'give,' to use a simplified sentence structure. These verbs take both a direct and an indirect object. However, the simplified form requires careful placement of the nouns.

The Verbs ‘Give’ and ‘Send’ Simplified Form

For example, consider the sentence: 'I gave a pencil to my son at the post office.' The full form is:

I gave a pencil to my son at the post office.

But this can be simplified to:

I gave my son a pencil at the post office.

Breaking Down the Sentence

Let’s break this down further to understand the grammatical components:

To give is a verb that takes an actor (the one giving - I), a direct object (the thing being given - a pencil), and an indirect object (the person to whom the thing is given - my son). Further details can be added, such as location: 'at the post office.' The Standard Sentence Form

The first example is in standard form:

I gave a pencil to my son at the post office.

Here, the direct object is unmarked and immediately follows the verb, and the indirect object is marked with the preposition 'to'. The simplified form:

I gave my son a pencil at the post office.

is also correct.

The Issue with Locations

However, locations are different. In the original sentence, 'to the post office' functions as a prepositional phrase and not as an indirect object. Therefore:

I will send the post office my son.

is grammatically incorrect. The correct sentence is:

I will send my son to the post office.

This distinction is crucial. Similarly, consider the sentence:

Can I say like this: I will send the post office my son

vs.

I will send my son to the post office.

The first sentence makes no sense and is grammatically flawed, while the second is the correct form.

Conclusion

Understanding the proper placement of indirect and direct objects in English can significantly improve your sentence construction. Key takeaways include:

Verbs like 'send' and 'give' can use a simplified form with indirect and direct objects. Locations are prepositional phrases and not indirect objects. The simplified form of 'send' requires careful construction to avoid grammatical errors.

Keep practicing, and your English writing will improve dramatically.

[1] Who is the only interrogative pronoun with grammatical case, but 'whom' is now less commonly used, especially informally, so 'what' is often used as a substitute.