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Poppyman Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
What grammar is used here?
Hello.
I don't really understand what kind of grammar we have in that sentence: "I anticipated this being 3 minutes long". Isn't something missing?
Could you give me a couple more examples with "anticipate smb/smth "
Thank you.
I don't really understand what kind of grammar we have in that sentence: "I anticipated this being 3 minutes long". Isn't something missing?
Could you give me a couple more examples with "anticipate smb/smth "
Thank you.
Top answer
Nothing is missing. You can use this grammatical pattern with a few verbs. Instead of a that -clause you have a gerund clause as the object of the verb.
- Nothing is missing.
- You can use this grammatical pattern with a few verbs.
- Instead of a that -clause you have a gerund clause as the object of the verb.
- The subject of the gerund clause is usually expressed in possessive form if it refers to a person.
- Some gerund clauses are: my being late, this taking five minutes, Paul's finding the key .
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12 Answers
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Nothing is missing. You can use this grammatical pattern with a few verbs. Instead of a that-clause you have a gerund clause as the object of the verb. The subject of the gerund clause is usually expressed in possessive form if it refers to a person. Some gerund clauses are: my being late, this taking five minutes, Paul's finding the key.
I anticipated this being three
I anticipated this being three
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I am very sorry, CJ, but I can't realize any sentence with "this taking five minutes" 
May it be something like this: I thought this
May it be something like this: I thought this00
poppymanI can't realize any sentence with "this taking five minutes"Really? I thought that one would be the easiest one for you because it's most similar to the example we started with. Think of "this" with the meaning "this procedure" or "this process" or "this task".
I anticipated this taking five minutes.
= I anticipated that this woul
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Thank you! Is my example "I thought this taking five minutes but it was actually longer" correct then?
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Your first example was "I anticipated this being 3 minutes long". That's correct.
Your most recent example is "I thought this taking five minutes but it was actually longer". That's wrong.
The verb anticipate allows that -ing construction.
The verb thought does not allow that -ing construction.
CJ
Your most recent example is "I thought this taking five minutes but it was actually longer". That's wrong.
The verb anticipate allows that -ing construction.
The verb thought does not allow that -ing construction.
CJ
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CalifJimThen, how do we know which verb allows that -ing construction?
The verb anticipate allows that -ing construction.
The verb thought does not allow that -ing construction.
CJ
Should we just memorize a list of verbs allowing this kind of construction?
Could you provide a list of those verbs, please?
Th
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I don't have a list, and I don't know where you can find a list. I had a hard time thinking up a few verbs that allow it, so there can't be very many. The ones I used in this thread are a start for you. You'll just have to add new ones to your list when you find them in your readings. You might look up 'gerund clauses' on the internet and see if you can find any lists of verbs that regularly t
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Alright, but "Susan appreciated Frank's supporting her claim." Roughly speaking, is "supporting" used here as a "noun"? Could it be something simpler like "Susan appreciated Frank supporting her claim"?
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