Dative shift

Okay kiddo, today we're going to talk about something called "dative shift".

So, when we talk, we use words to explain and tell stories. Sometimes, when we use certain words, we need to have someone or something else to help us with what we're trying to say.

Dative shift is a special way we use words in English to change who is doing something for someone else. It usually happens when we want to explain that someone is doing something for someone else, like giving a gift or doing a favor.

Let's use an example: "I gave my mom a present."

In this sentence, I am doing something - giving a present. But who am I giving it to? My mom! So, I could say "I gave a present to my mom," but in English, we often use dative shift and say "I gave my mom a present."

Do you see the difference? It's like we're moving the idea of "to my mom" from behind the word "present" to behind the word "mom".

We use dative shift a lot in English, but it can be tricky to understand because it changes the order of words. But don't worry, with a little practice, you'll be a dative shift expert in no time!