Complex object

Complex object is a pattern in which the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case. Complex object is used with the following groups of verbs:

-verbs of order and permission (to order, to allow, to have) in the meaning order, force:

I don’t allow the guests to smoke in the flat.

-verbs of mental activity(to trust, to feel, to know, to think, to consider, to believe, tosuppose, to find, to expect). They are used with the particle ‘to’:

They felt their story to impress us.We can trust the trains to run on time.

-verbs of perception (to hear, to see, to notice, to watch, to feel, to observe). The infinitives used without the particle ‘to’: She felt something touch her feet.We saw her leave the house.They heard his say so.

-the verbs to let, to make, which are followed by the infinitive without to:

The pain made me cry. Let them do what they like.

-the verbs of willingness (want, would like, with). They are followed by the infinitive with the particle to: Is there anything else you wish me to buy you? They want me to wait here.

-the verbs to declare, to report. They are used with to: He declared himself to be a supporter of the cause.

-verbs denoting likes and dislikes (to like, to hate, to love, to dislike). They are used with to: We dislike them to talk like that. We hate them to think we were late on purpose.

- verbs of compulsion (to cause, to get, to have):

My illness caused me to miss the lecture.She got him to help her when she moved the furniture.