Verb+ing vs to-less infnitive
Hi.
1) They kept the passengers waiting for half an hour while the plane was searched for a bomb.
2) I overheard him reprimanding (reprimand) his salesclerk for the mistake.
As far as I am concerned, after some verbs of perception to-less infinitives may be alternatives for present participles. But how should I explain the reason clearly why it's impossible to have a to-less infinitive after the object in the sentence #1 but totally fine in the second sentence?
Top answer
1) They kept the passengers waiting for half an hour while the plane was searched for a bomb. 2) I overheard him reprimanding (reprimand) his salesclerk for the mistake. Are you suggesting #1 is incorrect?
- 1) They kept the passengers waiting for half an hour while the plane was searched for a bomb.
- 2) I overheard him reprimanding (reprimand) his salesclerk for the mistake.
- Are you suggesting #1 is incorrect?
- It's fine.
- In #2, I overheard him reprimanding .
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1) They kept the passengers waiting for half an hour while the plane was searched for a bomb.
2) I overheard him reprimanding (reprimand) his salesclerk for the mistake.
Are you suggesting #1 is incorrect? It's fine.
In #2, I overheard him reprimanding . . . suggests you may have heard only part of the action while it was occurring.
0I'd say it just depends on the particular verb.
eg
You can't say They kept the passengers wait for half an hour
but you can say They made the passengers wait for half an hour.
0
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