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Niue Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

• cause sb doing sth

Hi!

I read the following in a TOEIC book:



“8. The increase in layoffs over the past two fiscal periods has caused everyone ______ less secure.



A. feels

B. felt

C. was felt

D. to feel



(Answer: D)” ((Longman Preparation Series for the New TOEIC Test, Advanced Course, 4th Edition, p. 139))



I agree with the above that D is correct.

If there were ‘E. feeling’, would it be correct, also?

I don’t think ‘feeling’ would be correct, because I’ve never seen the structure “cause + sb + doing sth” in any context.



What do you think? Do you say “cause sb doing sth”



Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

I think 'feeling' is possible here. Infinitives can be often replaced with gerunds and in this particular case, feeling is a gerund, I think. I'm not 100% sure about this.

— Ivanhr

  • I think 'feeling' is possible here.
  • Infinitives can be often replaced with gerunds and in this particular case, feeling is a gerund, I think.
  • I'm not 100% sure about this.
  • The version with 'feeling' sounds ok to my ears.
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4 Answers
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I think 'feeling' is possible here. Infinitives can be often replaced with gerunds and in this particular case, feeling is a gerund, I think.

I'm not 100% sure about this. The version with 'feeling' sounds ok to my ears.
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To me, "feeling" is definitely not possible here.
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NiueIf there were ‘E. feeling’, would it be correct, also?
No.
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Feeling is wrong here. I got it now.


I've seen people yelling (people who were yelling)


...employees (who were) feeling less secure wouldn't make much sense.
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