Two person interactions は・に

Let's define some symbols:
A - a person (the so called "subject")
B - another person
S - Speaker
N -Object
There are three main patterns:

[1] Aは Bを V

A does the action to B

• 先生は私を褒めました

A makes/lets some action be done to B (intransitive causative).

• 部長は私を大阪へ出張させます

[2] Aは Bに V

The action was done to A by B (passive)

• 先生に褒められました　[A is S]

A was made/permitted to do something by B (causative passive) （－）

• 学生のとき、いつも先輩に飲み物を買いに行かされた。

[3] Aは BにNを V

A receives N from B by a receiving action. 借りる, 習う, もらう (receive), いただきます (polite receive)

• AはBにNをもらう

A gives N to B by a giving action. あげる・差し上げます・やります・与える・くれる・くださいます・貸す・教える・送る・電話をかける。

• AはBにNをあげる　 

• AはBにNをくれる　A gives to B. B is S or Sのうち。S is grateful.

A makes/lets B do some action on N (transitive causative).

• 先生は生徒に自由に意見を言わせました

A makes/lets some action be done to B (intransitive causative with を).

• 私は子どもに道の右側を歩かせます

The action was done to A's thing by B (passive)　（－）

• 弟にパソコンを壊されました  [A is S]

Hints

So how to remember all this? 

We have the basic common pattern:

Aは B　に・を　 V

We always put the actor into A. But you need to be mindful of the verb. This is because (1) there are receiving verbs in Japanese (借りる, 習う, もらう, いただきます etc) (2) passive verbs are actually also receiving verbs (3) with causative verbs the focus is on the action of the permission/instruction rather than the actual verb.

Here is a checklist:

1.     Is it a giving (receiving) verb?  

Y: Put the person giving (receiving) in the position A 

2.     Is it passive? 

Y: Put the person the action is done to, into position A, and the person who is doing it into B

The reason is explained here: cure dolly -- passive (in short, passive isn't same as English passive. Better to think of it as a receiving verb).

3.     Is is causative? 

Y: Put the person who is making/letting the action be done into A, and person who is made/let to do it into B 

I.e., same as always, except that the focus is now on the verb of making/letting rather than on the actual verb. 

4.     Is it causative passive?

Y: A will be the person B is making/letting the action be done to.

This is the same passive rule (2), just applied to (3). 

５．Does the verb take an object？

 N: Then mark B with を　instead of に。