English Grammar Drills

Multiple Verb Complements 189
Object present participle:
Object base form:
We found them working in the back office.
X We found them work in the back office.
Only one common verb can be used in the object base form but not with the object
present participle: make. For example:
Object base-form:
Object present participle:
We made them fix the bill.
X We made them fixing the bill.
Here is a list of the verbs that are commonly used with object present participle complements.
Note that most of these are verbs of sense perception:
catch hear see
discover leave smell
feel notice spot
find observe spy
get overhear watch
have
perceive
Exercise 11.12
Choose the correct complement type (present participle, base form, or both) from the two forms
in parentheses. If both are correct, write both above the verbs.
both
We will have the workers (painting/paint) the hallway tomorrow.
1. We left the painters (finishing up/finish up) the trim in the dinning room.
2. Listen to her (playing/play) that piano.
3. He made me (doing/do) it.
4. We discovered the kitten (hiding/hide) in the attic.
5. I heard the kitchen faucet (dripping/drip) all night.
6. Fortunately, I smelled the brakes (smoking/smoke) on the rear axle.
7. After a bad beginning, we got the two sides (talking/talk) to each other.
8. During the earthquake, we all felt the building (shaking/shake) a little.
9. Finally, we spotted a white sail (flashing/flash) in the afternoon sun.