Comment on a activity vs relate 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
(nonfinite) clause. (See Verb + Gerund.)
SUBJ + PREDICATE

COMPLEMENT / OBJECT

We enjoy

seeing sheep walking on the road.

We couldn't help

noticing sheep as they walked by.

We recall

hearing dogs barking behind the herd of sheep.

We loved

hearing them making "baaa" sounds.

We kept

watching them pass 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 modifying clause
(participial).

SUBJ + PRED + OBJ

COMPLEMENT / MODIFIER

We saw sheep

walking on the road.
(who were) walking… (modifies sheep)

We noticed sheep

walking by.
(who were) walking by. (modifies sheep)

We heard (dogs¹)

barking behind the herd of sheep.
(who were) barking… (modifies dogs)

We had fun²

hearing them making "baaa" sounds.
(which was) hearing them… (modifies fun)

We sat³

watching them pass by.
(and we were) watching them… (modifies we)


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.
We experienced it.The car was shaking.


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] .


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 difficulty (which was) finding…

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.

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
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 have fun I have
passing / pass by.
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.