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Son James Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

My dog was heard to bark?

Please look at this sentence.

" Early December, every store was heard to play Christmas music"
[Q1]
Is the sentence above right in grammar? I think we can't use "to infinitive" with perception verbs like smell,hear,watch and so on.

[Q2]
Is this rule applied to only this form "I heard my dog barking"? (I heard my dog to bark(x))
In case that a perception verb is used in passive voice, can I use "to infinitive" as well? Like this, "My dog was heard to bark" ( I'm not sure whether it is right,couldn't someone once change to it in passive form?)

Thank you so much for your answers.
  

Top answer

Hi The passive + infinitive is quite common with some verbs of perception and cognition ... - Every shop was heard to play Christmas music - But the dog wasn't heard to bark that night - He's thought to lead a very virtuous life - He is said to be involved in foreign politics - She's expected to get a first in Philosophy - He was seen to take the purse from the woman's bag It works with some verbs but not others And, as you say, if we change the first verb to active, then the clause following can have object-noun + gerund ... - I seemed to hear every shop playing Christmas music - She didn't hear the dog barking that night - I think of him leading a very virtuous life - They speak of him being involved in foreign politics - I see her getting a first in philosophy - They saw him taking the purse from the woman's bag Hope this may help, Dave

  • Hi The passive + infinitive is quite common with some verbs of perception and cognition ...
  • - Every shop was heard to play Christmas music - But the dog wasn't heard to bark that night - He's thought to lead a very virtuous life - He is said to be involved in foreign politics - She's expected to get a first in Philosophy - He was seen to take the purse from the woman's bag It works with some verbs but not others And, as you say, if we change the first verb to active, then the clause following can have object-noun + gerund ...
  • - I seemed to hear every shop playing Christmas music - She didn't hear the dog barking that night - I think of him leading a very virtuous life - They speak of him being involved in foreign politics - I see her getting a first in philosophy - They saw him taking the purse from the woman's bag Hope this may help, Dave
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2 Answers
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Hi

The passive + infinitive is quite common with some verbs of perception and cognition ...

- Every shop was heard to play Christmas music
- But the dog wasn't heard to bark that night
- He's thought to lead a very virtuous life
- He is said to be involved in foreign politics
- She's expected to get a first in Philosophy
- He was seen to take the purse from th
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Thank you so much for your answers,Mr.Dave_AnonEmotion: embarrassed

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