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Jigneshbharati Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Seemed to be avoiding

"Everyone seemed to be avoiding Nick."
https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/avoid
I saw the above example sentence at

Everyone (subject)
Seem( verb)
Why do we need the second verb "to be" and also explain the use of "ing" after "avoid"?
  

Top answer

"seem to ~" takes a verb infinitive. Plain infinitive would be "to avoid"; "to be avoiding" is the continuous infinitive: Everyone avoids Nick. -> Everyone seems to avoid Nick.

— GPY

  • "seem to ~" takes a verb infinitive.
  • Plain infinitive would be "to avoid"; "to be avoiding" is the continuous infinitive: Everyone avoids Nick.
  • -> Everyone seems to avoid Nick.
  • Everyone is avoiding Nick.
  • -> Everyone seems to be avoiding Nick.
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1 Answers
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"seem to ~" takes a verb infinitive. Plain infinitive would be "to avoid"; "to be avoiding" is the continuous infinitive:

Everyone avoids Nick. -> Everyone seems to avoid Nick.
Everyone is avoiding Nick. -> Everyone seems to be avoiding Nick.

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