Verbs + Other Verbs #6

Verbs + Other Verbs (#6):

Verb + Object + -ing Verb

OR

Verb + Object + Verb

We've already seen that verbs can be connected in the

patterns Verb + to + Verb ("want to leave"), Verb +

Object + to + Verb ("want him to leave"), Verb + Object

+ Verb ("make him leave"), and Verb + -ing Verb ("regret

leaving") patterns. In addition, a small number of verbs

(the verbs of perception) can be used in the pattern

Verb + -ing Verb OR Verb + Object + Verb.

Verbs of Perception

feel

hear

listen to

look at

notice

observe

see

smell

watch

Examples:

I felt the room moving. /

I felt the room move.

We heard her playing her violin. /

We heard her play her violin.

She noticed him leaving. /

She noticed him leave.

He smelled his dinner burning. /

He smelled his dinner burn.

___________________________________________

Special Note:

1. In the Verb + Object + gerund pattern, the gerund

generally shows the same meaning that is shown by

while + a clause with an -ing verb:

I felt the room moving. = I felt the room while it

was moving.

He smelled his dinner burning. = He smelled

his dinner while it was burning.

2. Although there is often no difference in meaning

between Verb + Object + Gerund and Verb +

Object + Verb, this is not always true. When there

is a difference in meaning, the gerund suggests

that its action was in progress from beginning to

end, while this is not suggested by the base form:

She noticed him leaving. (She noticed him from

the time that he began to leave until he had gone.)

She noticed him leave. (She noticed him at the

time that he left.)

We watched the L.A. Lakers playing the

championship game. (We watched all of the

championship game that the L.A. Lakers played.)

We watched the L.A. Lakers play the

championship game. (We watched some of the

championship game that the L.A. Lakers played.)