Grammar-Quizzes › Verb Phrases › Verb Complements › Gerunds › Sensory Verb w/Gerund
Sensory Verbs with a Gerund Clause
Relate direct experience
Comment on a Activity vs. Relate Experience
| COMMENT + ACTIVITY | |
|---|---|
The verbs below express attitude or opinion about an activity. The verb is complemented by a gerund clause. See Verb + Gerund for other verbs followed by gerunds. |
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| SUBJ + PREDICATE | VERBAL COMPLEMENT |
| NOUN PHRASE + VERB | GERUND CLS |
My family enjoys |
seeing sheep walking on the road. |
Neighbors couldn't help |
noticing sheep as they walked by. |
All of us recall |
hearing dogs barking behind the herd of sheep. |
We loved |
hearing them making "baaa" sounds. |
Everyone kept |
watching them as they passed by. |
| SENSORY EXPERIENCE + DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|
A similar but different meaning is expressed below. The verb expreses direct observation, perception, or experience of something. The object noun is complemented by a reduced clause. (See participial modifiers.) |
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| SUBJ + PRED + OBJ | OBJECT COMPLEMENT / MODIFIER |
| NP + V + NP | GERUND-PARTICIPLE |
My family saw sheep |
walking on the road. (who were) walking… (modifies sheep) |
Neighbors noticed sheep |
walking by. (who were) walking by. (modifies sheep) |
All of us heard ___ [dogs]¹ |
barking behind the herd of sheep. barking… (modifies understood object:dogs) |
We had fun² |
hearing them making "baaa" sounds. (which was) hearing them… (modifies fun) |
Everyone stood³
|
watching them pass by. (and we were) watching them… (modifies we) |
In traditional grammar description, the gerund is more noun-like and the participle is more adjectival. However, current linguistic description no longer distinguishes the gerund from the particple: both are nonfinite. The terms are merged "gerund-participle". See Grammar Notes and resources.
¹ The object dogs can be omitted if it is understood from context.
² had fun is followed by a reduced clause expressing direct experience of the subject
³ sit, stand, lie, or rest is followed by a reduced clause expressing direct experience of the subject
direct — something a person experiences in person, by oneself
Also see Verb + Gerund and Gerund Nonfinite Clause.
Related pages: Gerund Objects. and Clause Reduction 2.
(Azar 15– 6-7) (Huddleston 1204-5) (Swan 242)
That-Clause vs. ing-Clause
Express indirect or direct knowledge
Indirect Knowledge vs. Direct Experience
| THAT-CLAUSE |
|---|
After see and heard the subordinator that + a clause expresses someone's knowledge about something. The source is second-hand, indirect, from someone else. |
| INDIRECT KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EVIDENCE |
We saw that they walked down the road. We came later and saw sheep droppings on the road. |
| INDIRECT KNOWLEDGE |
We heard that they walked down the road. Someone told us about it. |
| LEARN FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE |
We found that it was better to take a different road in the morning. We learned this from previous experience. |
| BELIEVE OR THINK FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE |
We felt that the sheep had the right of way so we stopped. We believed or held this opinion. |
| PARTICIPLE CLAUSE |
|---|
After see, hear, find, or feel, a gerund-participle clause expresses someone's experience. The experience is first-hand, direct, by oneself. |
| DIRECT VISUAL EXPERIENCE |
We saw them walk/ walking down the road. We saw them. They were walking down the road. |
| DIRECT AUDITORY EXPERIENCE |
We heard them walking down the road. We heard them. They were walking down the road |
| DIRECT DISCOVERY EXPERIENCE |
We found them walking on the road at 7:00 a.m. We discovered them. They were walking down the road |
| DIRECT SENSORY EXPERIENCE |
We felt the car shaking as they walked by. |
evidence (N) – that which proves something to be true; anything that serves to guide or direct in the solution of a problem, mystery, etc.
right of way (expression) – the right to use the road; (cars and all other vehicles must stop for them)
Sensory Verbs
Followed by -ing or base form
-ing Form vs. Plain Form (Base Form)
| –ING VERB FORM |
|---|
A sensory verb is followed by a noun and optionally a modifying clause (particpial clause / gerund-participle clause). |
We smelled a skunk [that was] passing by. |
We saw an athlete [who was] running a marathon race. |
We heard cows [that were] mooing. (making cow sounds) |
We saw some birds [that were] flying away. |
We heard the neighbors [who were] leaving at 7:00 am. |
We watched our mother [who was] cooking dinner. |
We felt the temperature [that was] rising. |
We observed the doctor [who was] doing open-heart surgery. |
We noticed the man [who was] putting something in his pocket. |
The police found the thieves [who were] hiding. (found = observed) |
She caught¹ her husband [who was] cheating. |
| BARE / BASE VERB FORM |
|---|
Some sensory verbs are followed by a plain form / base verb form. This form does not change the meaning.. |
We smelled it pass[ing] by. |
We saw him run [ing] a marathon race. |
We heard them moo [ing] . (make cow sounds) |
We saw them fly [ing] away. |
We heard them leave [ing] at 7:00 am. |
We watched her cook [ing] dinner. |
We felt it rise [ing] . |
(no base-form equivalent) |
(no base-form equivalent) |
(no base-form equivalent) |
(no base-form equivalent) |
¹catch (V) – to observe or surprise someone doing something (often negative). It doesn't mean to physically take hold of someone, rather to discover someone's hidden activity.
Have Expressions
Followed by -ing clauses
Having a particular experience
| EXPRESSING POSSESSION |
|---|
When have is used to express possession, it is commonly followed by a noun. (No gerund form is possible.) |
We had a mobile phone. |
We had a holiday |
We had a frisbee. |
We had a karaoke machine. |
She had a baby. |
We had breakfast / lunch / dinner. |
They are having a party. (hosting an event) |
He is having a cigarette / a break. (take) |
Have a bite / a drink / a seat. (take) |
She is having a bath. (take) |
Have a good day / holiday / Merry Christmas (enjoy) |
| HAVING A PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE |
|---|
When have is used to express experience, it is followed by a gerund-participle clause (nonfinite). Typically, the speaker expresses a good or bad experience. "which was" |
We had difficulty finding a public phone. |
We had a hard time finding his number. |
They had no trouble driving to your house. |
They had an easy time driving to your house. |
She had an awful¹ time getting a visa. |
We had fun skiing. (pleasant) |
We had a ball skiing. (a ball = fun) |
We experienced difficulty finding a pay phone. |
|
|
|
¹awful (Adj) – unpleasant
Related page: Noun vs. Gerund and Have + Verb They had him clean it.
Passing-Time Verbs
Followed by gerunds
Spending Time (doing something)
| TWO SEPARATE ACTIVITIES |
|---|
With a few verbs, two activities can be combined together. Note how these verbs joined by and can be restated. |
He sat and ate his dinner. |
He stood and argued with me. |
He lies around and reads the newspaper. (or lies down) |
He wasted time and texted on his telephone. |
She spends hours and does her homework. |
| SPENDING TIME VERB-ING |
|---|
These verbs with the meaning of "passing time" can be followed by an activity, a gerund clause. |
He sat eating his dinner. |
He stood arguing with me. |
He lies around reading the newspaper. |
He wastes time texting on his telephone. |
She spends hours doing her homework. |
Other Verbs Followed by Gerunds
Summary List
Verb + Object + Verb-ing
| OBSERVATION | PERCEPTION | EXPERIENCE | PASSING TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
see I saw her leaving / leave. |
feel I felt her sneezing / sneeze. |
have trouble I have trouble hearing. |
sit I sat watching the sheep |
watch I watched them falling / fall. |
hear I heard her coughing / cough. |
have difficulty I have difficulty spelling. |
stand I stood waiting for them. |
observe I saw her leaving. |
smell I smelled her passing / pass by. |
have fun I have fun dancing. |
lie around I lay around relaxing. |
notice I noticed her arriving. |
have a great time I had a great time traveling. |
lie He lay complaining. |
|
catch I caught them relaxing. |
have an easy time I had an easy time driving. |
waste time He wastes time shopping. |
|
find I found her sleeping. |
have a ball I have a ball playing video games. |
spend time I spend time browsing. |
|
overheard We overheard them fighting. |
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Grammar Notes (Advanced)
Gerund–Participle: What's the Difference?
| GERUND / GERUND CLAUSE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
One could argue that the reduced gerund clause and the participial clause are the same with the only difference being that the gerund holds the place of a noun (subj or object) while a participial clause modifies a noun. In modern Linguistics, they are both called "gerund-participles". Below, "walking down the road" is the complement of the verb. It completes the idea We enjoy... . |
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| SUBJECT: NP | PREDICATOR: VERB | COMPLEMENT: OBJECT | ADJUNCT (optional) |
We |
enjoy |
walks. (noun) |
|
We |
enjoy |
walking. (gerund) |
|
We |
enjoy |
walking on the road. (gerund clause) |
|
Azar – gerund phrase; Biber, Huddleston – nonfinite clause or gerund clause
| PARTICIPIAL CLAUSE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
A participial clause modifies a noun or noun phrase. Below, "walking on the road" (a reduced clause / nonfinite clause) modifies the object noun "sheep". |
|||
| SUBJECT: NP | PREDICATOR: VERB | COMPLEMENT: OBJECT | ADJUNCT (optional) |
We |
saw (heard, watched, found) |
sheep |
[that were] walking on the road. (full clause) walking on the road. (reduced) |
The sheep |
were walking |
|
on the road. (prep. phrase) |
See Clause Reduction 2 for "reduced clauses"
(Azar 15-6) (Huddleston 14 §3.2)
Participial clause placement & meaning
| POST POSITION |
|---|
A modifying clause is placed as close as possible to the noun that it modifies. Below, the clause modifies the object sheep and not the subject we. |
|
| PRE–POSITION |
|---|
A modifying clause placed before the main clause modifies the closest noun, which is usually the subject. |
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See Shortening Clauses – While
Word Categories: N – Noun; V – Verb; Aux – Auxiliary; Adj – Adjective; Adv – Adverb; P –Preposition; Det –Determiner.
Phrasal Categories: NP – Noun Phrase; VP – Verb Phrase; AdjP – Adjective Phrase; AdvP – Adverb Phrase; PP – Prepositional Phrase; DP – Determinative Phrase.
Clausal Categories: Cls – clause; F – finite clause; NF – nonfinite clause (Ger – gerund; Inf – infinitive; PPart – past participle).
Word Functions: Subj – subject; Pred – predicate/predicator; Comp – complement: elements required by an expression to complete its meaning (DO – direct object; IO – indirect object); Adjunct – adjunct: elements not required by an expression to complete its meaning (Subord – subordinator; Coord – coordinator); Supl – supplement: a clause or phrase added onto a clause that is not closely related to the central thought or structure of the main clause.
Works Cited
- Azar, Betty Schrampfer, and Stacy A. Hagen. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 4th ed., Pearson Education, 2009.
- Huddleston, Rodney D., and Geoffrey K. Pullum. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge UP, 2002.
- Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford UP, 2005.
Practice
Detective Report: Making Observations
Read Context
7:00 p.m. — The detective …
9:20 p.m. — …
10:00 p.m. — …
11:00 p.m. —
11:30 p.m. - …
12:00 a.m. - …
12:30 a.m. and caught him…
1:00 a.m. - Bill's wife went to bed…
Complete the sentence.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your responses to the feedback by clicking the "Check" or "Check 1-8" button.