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Two simple examples:

  1. a. I heard my mom cry.
    b. I heard my mom crying.
  2. a. Please leave the door lock always.
    b. Please leave the door locked always.

Which one, a or b, is right?

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  • 2
    Is it homework?
    – avpaderno
    Commented Jul 9, 2011 at 15:22
  • No, its the grammar book's example I confused.The book says sense verb should add original type later,but also give example that doesn't, so I confused that. If you think this should add homework tag I can add it on.
    – sam
    Commented Jul 9, 2011 at 15:25
  • Leave is not a verb of sense; the question is not about a verb of sense, then, but about using cry or crying, lock or locked. I would edit the question to make it clearer.
    – avpaderno
    Commented Jul 9, 2011 at 15:29

1 Answer 1

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In (1), either is possible in principle, with a slight difference in emphasis. If you use the "-ing" form, you're focussing a bit more on the "mental image" of the action of crying; if you use the infinitive, you're stating it more as a "matter of fact" occurrence.

In (2), the only possibility of the two is "locked". If you use the infinitive with "leave", then you need to insert "to" as well: "I left him to do the washing up". If you use the causative "let" (don't confuse the meanings of these two verbs, which are slightly different), then no "to" is used: "I let him do the washing up".

N.B. In (2), the word order you have wouldn't be so natural, at least in UK English: one would tend to say "Please always leave...".

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  • But interestingly: “Please leave the door locked at all times”. Commented Nov 17, 2014 at 10:52

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