Why this gerund can not a object?

Question

Hi, when I study about structures, I found something weird.

ex 1) I like reading : in this case, structure is S + V + O (reading)

ex 2) I avoid reading : but in this case, structure is S + V (avoid reading), not object.

# I enjoy reading, I consider reading - these are also not object.

someone told me this is because it is just the pattern(S + V + ing).

My concern is why in ex2, reading can not object, though it can be gerund,

and why the pattern(S+V+ ing) is needed, even though I can use S+V+O.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

There are two ways in which these patterns are described.

1. Traditional grammar names the -ing form a gerund, and it is an object of the main verb.
2. In modern grammar, the main verb is a catenative verb, which can be followed by other nonfinite verbs (infinitive, gerund). In your examples, the -ing form is a complement (not an object) of the main verb. The pattern is SVC (subject, verb, complement).

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complement_(linguistics)

Here are the types of sentences:

Type	Verb form	Example
SV	intransitive	He is sleeping.	subject, verb
SVO	monotransitive	That movie bored me.	subject, verb, object
SVC	copular	Your dinner looks good.	subject, verb, subject complement
SVA	copular	My office is in the next building.	subject, verb, adverbial
SVOO	ditransitive	I must send my friend an email.	subject, verb, indirect object, direct object
SVOA	complex-transitive	They fastened the mirror to the wall.	subject, verb, object, adverbial
SVOC	complex-transitive	Nathan named his cat Spot.	subject, verb, object, object complement

BillJ · Answer

I like/avoid/enjoy reading

I essentially agree with AS, but there's something else worth adding

Preliminary point: The interpretation of "reading" is not here dependent on the verb, since it can be a verb or a noun with any of the verbs you cite.

Strictly speaking "reading" is ambiguous here as to whether it is a verb or a noun, though verb is the more salient interpretation ("I like to read"). Verbal interpretation can be reinforced by adding a noun phrase which would become a direct object ("I like reading novels"). As a verb, modern grammar treats "reading" as a non-finite clause here functioning as catenative complement of the preceding verb.

However, noun interpretation can be forced by adjectival premodification, as in "occasional reading", in which case "reading is direct object.

In other words, "reading" can behave as a verb or a noun, and sometimes only the presence of a dependent like a modifier or a direct object can disambiguate.

Why this gerund can not a object?

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