The Objective Participial Construction. This is a construction in which the participle is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a personal pronoun in the objective case

This is a construction in which the participle is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a personal pronoun in the objective case. In the sentence, the construction is used as a Complex Object. The verbal element is Participle I Indefinite or Participle II.

The Objective Participial Construction is found:

a) after verbs of sense perception such as see, hear, watch, listen to, feel, smell, notice, observe, etc.

We heard you arguing with your brother.

We saw the lions (being) fed.

A verb of perception can also take an object +bare infinitive (the Objective-with-the Infinitive Construction). The infinitive means a complete action, the participle means action for a period of time.

I saw them cut the tree down. It didn’t take long.

I saw them cutting the tree down as I went past.

But when we talk about a short action, we can use either patterns.

Bernard watched the horse jump/jumping the fence.

b) after some verbs of mental activity, such as consider, understand, imagine.

She considers herself engaged to Edwin.

c) after some verbs of wish, such as wish, want, desire, (would) like, (would) love, (would) prefer, (would) hate. Only Participle II is used in this pattern.

Pamela wanted the carpet cleaned. ( exceptafter imagine)

In patterns b) and c) the Infinitive can also be used.

Pamela wanted the carpet to be cleaned.

Pamela wanted Jack to clean the carpet.

d) after the verbs have, get, set, keep, leave, find and catch Participle I is used to denote an action for a period of time, an action in progress.

We soon got the machine working again.

They caught a student cheating in the exam.

After get, have, make, find Participle II is also used.

The police found the body buried in the garden.

Have/get + object + Participle II means that the action is performed at the request of the subject. This pattern is used mainly to talk about professional services to a customer, “arrange for smb. to do smth.”

We had a burglar alarm fitted some time ago. (=by a security company)

Where did you get/have your hair cut? (get is more informal than have)

We can use get informally meaning ‘cause oneself to do something’ or ‘get on with the job’.

We finally got everything packed into one suitcase.

We can use the same pattern with have meaning ‘experience something, often something unpleasant’.

My sister has had some money stolen.

We had water dripping through the ceiling.

‘I won’t have…’ means ‘I won’t allow’.

I won’t have my house turned into a hotel.

I won’t have you telling me what to do.

After have, get, leave we can use an infinitive for an action as a whole.

The trainer had the players run/got the players to run round the field.

OBJECTIVE CONSTRUCTION WITH

THE INFINITIVE THE PARTICIPLE

to see + smb. do smth hear feel watch notice …	to see + smb. doing smth hear smth. done feel watch … find
to get + smb. to do smth. to make + smth./smb. do smth. have to let + smb. do smth. to cause + smb. to do smth.	to get + smth./oneself done smb./smth. doing smth. to make + oneself done. have + smb. doing smth. smth./oneself done to set + smb. doing smth.
to want + smb. to do smth. wish desire mean intend I’d like/love/hate/ prefer …	to want + smth./oneself done wish desire   I’d like/love/hate/ prefer …
to think + smb. to be Adj / N know smb. to do smth. believe consider expect find imagine	to consider + oneself /smth. done understand   imagine + smb. doing smth. smth./smb. done
to leave + smb. to do smth.	to leave + smb. doing smth. keep smth. /smb. done to catch + smb. doing smth.

18.2. The Subjective Participial Construction

This is a construction in which the participle is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case, a personal pronoun in the nominative case, or some other type of pronoun which is the subject of the sentence; the participle is part of a compound verbal predicate. This construction is literary.

The construction is chiefly used after these verbs in the passive:

a) the verbs of sense perception see, hear, feel.

The woman was seen putting the jewellery in her bag.

In this pattern an infinitive is also used.

He was seen to run away.

b) the verbs catch, find, keep, leave, set.

We were kept waiting for half an hour.

The baby was found sitting on the floor.

He was found barricaded in a little hut.

c) the verbs believe, consider.

The manuscript is believed lost.