As students begin using longer sentences, many get stuck at simple sentence patterns like subject + verb or subject + verb + object.

The next step is teaching giving sentences, also called Subject Verb Two Objects (SVOO) sentences.

These sentences help students talk about who gives what to whom, which is an important step in building stronger expressive language.

What Are Giving Sentences?

Giving sentences follow this pattern:

Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object

In simple terms:

who + gives + to whom + what

This sentence type helps students express actions involving both a person and an object.

Examples of Giving Sentences

Here are a few examples of SVOO sentences:

• The teacher gives the student homework.
• My mom makes me lunch.
• The boy sends his friend a letter.
• The girl shows the teacher her work.

These examples help students see how sentence parts work together to show action and meaning.

Why Teach Giving Sentences?

Teaching giving sentences helps students:

• expand beyond basic sentence structures
• build longer, more complete thoughts
• improve expressive language skills
• understand relationships between people and objects
• prepare for more advanced sentence formulation

For students who can already build simple sentences, SVOO is a natural next step.

How to Teach Giving Sentences Step by Step

A simple and effective way to teach this structure is with a consistent routine:

1. Build the sentence

Students use a sentence mat and word cards to put the sentence together in the correct order.

2. Read the sentence

Students read the full sentence out loud to practice sentence flow and meaning.

3. Write the sentence

Students write the sentence to reinforce structure and support carryover.

This build-read-write routine helps students move from understanding the structure to using it more independently.

Try It With Your Students

If you’re looking for an easy, low-prep way to teach giving sentences, this SVOO activity includes:

• a sentence building mat
• word cards for subjects, verbs, indirect objects, and direct objects
• a simple build-read-write routine for repeated practice

[Get the SVOO Sentence Building Activity on TPT]

Build Sentence Skills Step by Step

Sentence instruction works best when skills are taught in a clear sequence:

• Start with simple sentences (SV) FREE!
• Move to subject-verb-object sentences (SVO) – BEST SELLER!
• Teach giving sentences (SVOO) – GREAT COMPANION!
• Expand to descriptive sentence types like SVC

Teaching sentence structures step by step helps students build confidence and use longer sentences more successfully.