Complex Object

Tommy: Hello, guys! Welcome to our grammar lessons!

My best friends Maddie, Kristie and Martin will help me make our lessons useful and enjoyable.

If you ask your mum:

What do you want me to do? – Your mother probably says:

I want you to learn to cook,

I want you to read a book,

I’d like you to sweep the floor,

I’d like you to fix the door.

If you ask your dad:

What do you expect me to do? – Your dad probably says:

I expect you to do your best,

I expect you to pass the test,

I expect you to be a success,

I expect you to have a good rest!

If your parents ask your brother:

What did you see your brother do? – Your brother probably says:

I saw him leave home without hat.

I saw him teasing our cat.

I saw him doing nothing at all.

I saw him write his name on the wall!

Oh, Charlie!!!

You see that all these sentences look very similar, don’t they?

They all have the same construction – Complex Object (сложное дополнение).

It’s not as difficult and fearful as it sounds.

In today’s lesson we are going to learn its structure and the typical verbs it is normally used with.

Let’s compare these sentences:

I want a new book.       

Where is the object in this sentence? – Right! A book. It is a simple object (простое дополнение).

I want you to read a book.

Can you find an object in these sentence? – The object is YOU. It is a complex object (сложное дополнение) because it is modified by other words in the sentence – … you to read a book.

Now let’s consider the formation of the Complex Object.

Look:

I’d like        him                      to sweep the floor.

I expect      them                             to do their best.

I saw                    Tommy                leave home without hat.

I saw                    my brother           teasing our cat.

What parts does the Complex Object consist of?

It consists of a noun in the common case (Tommy, my brother) or a pronoun in the objective case (him, them) + infinitive with or without to (to sweep, to do, leave) or the –ing form (teasing).

Let’s revise the objective pronouns:

I – me

we – us

he – him

you – you

she – her

they – them

it – it

The usage of the infinitive with or without to or the –ing form depends on the verb it goes after.

The infinitive is used with to:

1. after the verbs that express wish, need or desire, for example:

to wish - желать

to want – хотеть

to need – нуждаться, иметь потребность

should (would) like – хотелось бы

to desire – сильно желать

E.g.

He wanted me to help him choose a new computer. – Он хотел, чтобы я помог ему выбрать новый компьютер.

Our parents would like us not to quarrel. – Наши родителя хотели бы, чтобы мы не ссорились.

We all wish him to come the first. – Мы все хотим, чтобы он пришёл первым.

2. after the verbs that describe feelings and emotions, for example:

to like - нравиться

to dislike – не нравиться

to love - любить

to hate - ненавидеть

to prefer – предпочитать

E.g.

I like him to smile. — Мне нравится, когда он улыбается.

I would prefer you to return home by taxi, because it’s late – Я бы предпочёл, чтобы ты вернулась домой на такси, потому что уже поздно.

I hate you to do such things. – Я ненавижу, когда ты делаешь такие вещи.

3. after the verbs of mental states:

to think - думать

to believe - верить

to know - знать

to expect – ожидать=предполагать

to imagine - воображать

to consider – рассматривать/полагать

to suppose – предполагать

to find – находить (полагать)

E.g.

I consider Bill to be Jack of all trades. – Я считаю, что Билл – мастер на все руки.

I believe him to be a good friend. – Я считаю его хорошим другом.

I find your plan to be very interesting. – Я нахожу ваш план очень интересным.

We expect them to arrive soon. – Мы ожидаем, что они скоро приедут.

I know Mr. Greg to be a good and hospitable person. – Я знаю мистера Грэга как хорошего и гостеприимного человека.

4. after the verbs that express order, request or permission:

to tell – рассказывать

to allow – позволять

to order – приказывать

to command – командовать

to ask for – просить

to report – докладывать

E.g.

The boss orders me to finish up these documents on time. – Шеф приказывает мне закончить эти документы вовремя.

Did you allow the children to go for a walk so late? – Ты разрешила детям пойти погулять так поздно?

They asked her to come in time. – Они попросили её прийти вовремя.

The infinitive is used without to after the verbs to make (заставлять) and to let (позволять, разрешать).

E.g.

Could you let her go clubbing with us tonight? – Позвольте ей пойти с нами в клуб сегодня вечером.

Let the children play in the park, the weather is warm and beautiful. – Разрешите детям поиграть в парке, погода великолепная.

Don’t make me drink milk, I hate it! – Не заставляй меня пить молоко, я его ненавижу!

What made him give up his hobby? – Что заставило его бросить его хобби?

And finally let’s consider the third group of verbs – verbs of senses, for example:

to hear – слышать

to see – видеть

to watch – наблюдать, смотреть

to feel – чувствовать

to observe –наблюдать

to notice – замечать

E.g.

At the zoo we often watched monkeys playing in their cage. – В зоопарке мы часто наблюдали, как обезьяны играют в своей клетке.

I often hear him playing the guitar in his room. — Я часто слышу, как он играет на гитаре у себя в комнате.

I feel her touch my shoulder. – Я почувствовал, как она дотронулась до моего плеча.

We saw them cross the street. – Мы увидели, как они перешли улицу.

After these verbs we use either the infinitive without to or the –ing form.

We use the infinitive without to when the action is completed.

We use the –ing form when the action is in progress:

Compare:

I saw the plane to take off. – Я видел, как взлетел самолёт.

I saw the plane taking off. – Я видел (наблюдал), как взлетал самолёт.

Now it’s time to practice the rule with Martin.

Use the words in brackets in the correct form and comment on the use of the infinitive.

1. The coach watched his team play football and left the stadium. (We use the infinitive without to for completed actions after the verb of senses – to watch.)

2. The coach watches his team playing football every day. (We use the –ing form for action in progress after the verb of senses – to watch.)

3. I saw her come in a few minutes ago. (We use the infinitive without to for completed actions after the verb of senses – to see.)

4. He made his son clean the room. (We use the infinitive without to after the verb to make - заставлять.)

5. I can’t believe him to be such a good person. (We use the infinitive with to after the verb of mental state – to believe.)

6. I need you to come with me. (We use the infinitive with to after the verbs that express need, desire or wish – to need.)

7. The teacher told the pupils to hand in their tests. (We use the infinitive with to after the verbs that express order and request – to tell.)

That`s all for today.

I wish your dreams to come true!

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