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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Sentence pattern

From English grammar books, we learn that there are 6 types of basic sentence patterns around which you can expand to add more meaning. One of the patterns involves using a transitive verb with a direct object and an indirect object, both of which are nouns. In another pattern, the indirect object is followed by an object complement, which is an adjective. Now I would like to know what function the words that come after the indirect object in the following sentences have:

  1. I saw him run.
  2. I saw him running.
  3. He heard him cry.
  4. He heard him crying.
  5. He heard him whisper.


    6. I know that participles function as adjectives. In my examples, the complements: running, cry, crying and whisper are not participles. They are verbs, but they provide more information about the state of the object: 'him'. So are the complements in these examples verbs or adjectives? I would appreciate it if someone would help me clear my confusion.

    Thanks.

    Carol Chan
  

Top answer

Most likely, the six patterns you are referring to are patterns for sentences of a single clause. But the sentences you are asking about are combinations of two clauses, one embedded in another. I saw shows the subject and verb of the main clause.

— CalifJim

  • Most likely, the six patterns you are referring to are patterns for sentences of a single clause.
  • But the sentences you are asking about are combinations of two clauses, one embedded in another.
  • I saw shows the subject and verb of the main clause.
  • ) The words that follow this subject and verb combination form a clause which acts as the (direct) object of saw (or heard ).
  • I saw (something).
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1 Answers
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Most likely, the six patterns you are referring to are patterns for sentences of a single clause.
But the sentences you are asking about are combinations of two clauses, one embedded in another.

I saw shows the subject and verb of the main clause. (The same analysis applies to I heard.) The words that follow this subject and verb combination form a clause which acts
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