3.202 If you want to talk about two closely linked actions that are performed by different people, you follow the first verb with an object. This object then functions as the subject of the second verb. For example, in She asked Ginny to collect the book, Ginny is the person who is asked, and she is also the person who performs the action of collecting the book.
I saw him looking at my name on the door.
You can’t stop me seeing him!
use of possessive determiner
3.203 Note that when the second verb is an -ing participle, a possessive determiner is sometimes used in front of it, instead of a pronoun. This is rather formal.
These professional ethics prevent their discussing their clients with the public.
She did not like my living in London.
Note that a possessive determiner is only used in this way when the second verb can have a human subject.
transitive verbs with an -ing participle
3.204 Some verbs are used with an object and an -ing participle.
He caught Hooper looking at him.
Here is a list of verbs that are used with an object and an -ing participle:
catch
describe
feel
find
hear
imagine
keep
leave
like
notice
observe
picture
prevent
save
see
send
spot
stop
want
watch
Listen to also belongs in this group. The object after it is the object of the preposition to.
I listened to Kaspar talking.
These verbs are sometimes used with a passive -ing form, but not usually with a perfect -ing form.
She felt herself being spun around.
verbs with an infinitive without to
3.205 Some of the verbs in the above paragraph can also be used with an infinitive without to.
She felt her hair rise on the back of her neck
Dr Hochstadt heard her gasp.
There is a slight change of meaning depending on which form is used. If you choose the -ing participle, you emphasize that the action continued happening for a period of time.
But I stayed there, listening to her singing.
I looked over and saw Joe staring at me.
If you choose the infinitive without to, you emphasize that the action was completed.
We listened to Jenny finish the sonnet.
It was the first time she had heard him speak of his life.
Here is a list of verbs that can be used with an -ing participle or an infinitive without to, with the change of meaning described above:
feel
hear
listen to
notice
observe
see
watch
Note that these verbs can be used in the active only when they are followed by an infinitive without to. See also paragraph 3.208.
transitive verbs with a to-infinitive
3.206 Other verbs are used with an object and a to-infinitive clause.
His sister had taught him to sew.
I encourage students to do these exercises at home.
Here is a list of verbs that are used with an object and a to-infinitive:
advise
allow
ask
beg
cause
challenge
choose
command
compel
dare
defy
enable
encourage
expect
forbid
force
get
help
induce
inspire
instruct
intend
invite
lead
leave
like
mean
move
oblige
order
pay
permit
persuade
prefer
press
programme
prompt
recruit
remind
teach
tell
train
trust
urge
use
want
warn
Note that some of the verbs in the above list are used for reporting orders, requests, and advice. For more information on this use, see paragraph 7.39.
Here is a list of verbs that are always or usually used in the passive when followed by a to-infinitive:
allege
assume
believe
claim
consider
deem
discover
estimate
feel
find
know
learn
prove
reckon
report
require
rumour
say
see
think
understand
They refer to saying, thinking, or discovering. The to-infinitive that follows them is most commonly be or have, or a perfect infinitive.
The house was believed to be haunted.
He was proved to be wrong.
using the passive
3.207 If you do not know who the subject of the second verb is, or you do not want to mention them, you can use a passive construction.
A gardener was immediately sacked if he was caught smoking.
I was asked to come for a few days to help them.
The following verbs are not usually used in the passive when followed by an -ing participle:
feel
imagine
like
listen to
prevent
save
stop
want
The following verbs are not usually used in the passive when followed by a to-infinitive:
defy
get
like
prefer
want
3.208 Hear, observe, and see are not used with a to-infinitive when they are active but they can be used with either an -ing participle or a to-infinitive when they are passive.
You use them with an -ing participle when you want to show that the action described by the second verb took place over a period of time.
A terrorist was seen standing in the middle of the road.
Her companions could be heard playing games.
If a to-infinitive is used, you are implying that the action was completed.
She could distinctly be seen to hesitate.
The baby was seldom heard to cry.
See also paragraph 3.205.
verbs followed by for and a to-infinitive
3.209 There are some verbs used with another verb with a to-infinitive that are followed by the preposition for and its object, rather than by a direct object. The object of for is the performer of the second action.