Questions tagged [nonfinite-clause-complementation]
The nonfinite-clause-complementation tag has no usage guidance.
19
questions
2
votes
1answer
149 views
Should this verb be in the third-person singular form, the infinitive form, or the present participle form? [duplicate]
Watching a game review, I've noticed a phrase whose meaning confused me. The reason why I got confused is that the author used a base form of the verb "to explore" in pair with the singular ...
0
votes
1answer
100 views
Can prepositions be 'subordinators'?
"For her to lose the election would make me very happy."
What I think is that here "For her to lose the election" is an infinitival non-finite subordinate clause & "for&...
0
votes
0answers
87 views
Non-finite clause vs phrase
We know that a clause is a sentence which is a part of a sentence. So, a clause is itself a sentence having a subject and a predicate, but a phrase is just a group of words.
To tell you the truth,I ...
0
votes
0answers
53 views
See somebody do/doing something [duplicate]
Consider these two variations:
Every morning, tourists can see soldiers raise the national flag in the square.
Every morning, tourists can see soldiers raising the national flag in the square.
What ...
3
votes
1answer
440 views
When do present participles shift from being “gerunds” or “verbal nouns” to become non-finite clauses?
Note: This is not a question about what is the difference between a gerund, verb and participle, interesting as that polemic may be. It is about non-finite clauses, which does bear upon these ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
What does 'fungus-growing' mean?
Renowned Swiss entomologist Martin Luscher described the mounds of
this fungus-growing species as being as much as 16 feet tall, 16 feet
in diameter at their base, and with a cement-like wall of ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
The gerund and its complementation
In what cases does the gerund stemming from a transitive verb take the direct object of that verb and when is a prepositional complement used?
For example:
Brown's deft painting of his daughter is ...
1
vote
0answers
138 views
Can we have non-finite clauses with overt subject without “for”?
I read the following in a comment to an answer to another post of mine:
"What’s the difference between expect for things to improve and expect things to improve? Is that for part of expect for, or is ...
-1
votes
1answer
88 views
How is “swimming” being used grammatically in “I saw them swimming in the lake”?
Consider this sentence:
I saw them swimming in the lake.
How is "swimming" used in the sentence? Is it a gerund or verb or anything else and how is it connected to the sentence?
I am mostly aware ...
2
votes
2answers
201 views
Grammatical term for a noun coming after an infinitive?
I didn't come to offer help.
As far as I can tell, this is how I would analyze this sentence from a grammatical perspective.
I = pronoun
didn't = aux. verb with "not" for negation.
come = zero ...
1
vote
2answers
674 views
(Noun) being (noun) verb … AND With (noun) being (noun), …?
First time poster here. Please forgive me for violating any rules if I have. I might also be asking a stupid question.
So... I have heard 'being' used in different situations and naturely pick up ...
2
votes
2answers
181 views
Terminology: Definition of the term “direct object”
In Michael Swan's "Practical English Usage", he states in section 16.1:
Many verbs besides auxiliaries can be followed by forms of other verbs
(or by structures including other verbs). This ...
4
votes
1answer
455 views
“I have you returning the car.”
Context: Top Notch 2
Conversation:
Agent: I have you returning the car on August 14th here at the airport.
Renter: Yes. That's correct.
I am puzzled by this sentence in a conversation between a ...
3
votes
5answers
234 views
“I hate Jill singing those songs.” = “I hate Jill when she is singing those songs.”?
Can the sentence
I hate Jill singing those songs.
mean
I hate Jill when she is singing those songs.
Or does it mean something else?
1
vote
1answer
92 views
What tense is used for “go” in “you see it go away”? [duplicate]
I understand it's not the present tense, else it would be "goes". Is the sentence grammatically correct? If so, does it mean "you are seeing that it is going away"?
0
votes
0answers
165 views
'watch her run' vs 'watch her running' [duplicate]
QUESTION 1
I'm trying to figure out the seemingly subtle difference(s) between a sentence modified by a bare infinitive and one modified by a participle phrase. What do you get out of these:
I ...
7
votes
1answer
5k views
Non-finite clause complementation of complex transitive verbs
This question has been bothering me for a while. It came up when I was reading Chapter 16 of "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language."
How to explain the grammatical structure of the ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
“Heard me [infinitive]” vs. “heard me [present participle]”
"Heard me [infinitive]" vs. "heard me [present participle]"
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talk about it.
At that time, you wouldn't have heard me talking about it.
At ...
4
votes
3answers
3k views
Correct usage of “see” vs. “watch”
I have seen them grow up.
I have watched them grow up.
Though the intended meaning is conveyed in both sentences, I want to know which in this case is a better fit, see or watch.
