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Here, the gerund is the verb eating, which takes an object this cake. The entire clause eating this cake is then used as a noun, which in this case serves as the subject of the larger sentence. An item such as eating this cake in the foregoing example is an example of a non-finite verb phrase ; however, because phrases of this type do not ...
In linguistics, an object is any of several types of arguments. [1] In subject-prominent, nominative-accusative languages such as English, a transitive verb typically distinguishes between its subject and any of its objects, which can include but are not limited to direct objects, [2] indirect objects, [3] and arguments of adpositions (prepositions or postpositions); the latter are more ...
The gerund can behave like a verb in taking objects: crossing the river cost many lives. The deverbal noun does not take objects, although the understood object may be expressed by a prepositional phrase with of: the crossing of the river cost many lives (an indirect object is expressed using to or for as appropriate: the giving of the award to ...
Verbs are used in certain patterns which require the presence of specific arguments in the form of objects and other complements of particular types. (A given verb may be usable in one or more of these patterns.) A verb with a direct object is called a transitive verb. Some transitive verbs have an indirect object in addition to the direct object.
The wind began changing directions — transitive gerund; By contrast, an intransitive verb coupled with a direct object will result in an ungrammatical utterance: What did you arrive? I belong the team. Conversely (at least in a traditional analysis), using a transitive verb in English without a direct object will result in an incomplete sentence:
When two noun phrases follow a transitive verb, the first is an indirect object, that which is receiving something, and the second is a direct object, that being acted upon. Indirect objects can be noun phrases or prepositional phrases. [4]
(infinitival clause with zero object; the man is understood as the object) That car wants looking at straight away. (gerund-participial clause with zero preposition complement after at) The building was given a new lease of life. (past-participial clause with zero indirect object)
Verbs that entail two objects, a direct object and an indirect object, are ditransitive, [2] or less commonly bitransitive. [3] An example of a ditransitive verb in English is the verb to give, which may feature a subject, an indirect object, and a direct object: John gave Mary the book. Verbs that take three objects are tritransitive. [4]