Can we leave out to after the verb said in some cases? I'm asking this because I saw it used that way on a website. I think it was a typo, but I would like to be sure.
This is the sentence I found on that website:
I said him that he was intelligent.
In my opinion the writer should have written:
I said to him that he was intelligent.
You're correct! You need a "to" there to complete the indirect object (definition of an indirect object: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000018.htm).
"To" is used to indicate direction and to identify the recipient of something (as taken from here: http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Too-and-To-Usage), so in this case you need "to" to identify who you're saying things to!
I don't believe that there are any examples of omitting the "to" after "said", but I could be wrong.
Hope this helps, and please ask if you need any clarification!
Can we leave out to after the verb said in some cases?
The indirect object in verbs that take 2 objects needs to have to in front of it - it can only be omitted if it comes right after the verb.
I gave the ball to him.
I gave him the ball.
but this doesn't work with said - because said doesn't really take 2 objects, even though it might look like it. Similar to walk:
I walked to the park ("the park" is not an object.)
Told can work this way (it has an underlying meaning of give - as in give information - whereas said really doesn't):
I told him the facts.
