Object Clauses

Object clauses present a great variety of patterns but less difficulty on the point of their grammatical analysis.

The simplest case of such clauses are patterns in which a sub-clause can be replaced by a noun which could be then an object in a simple sentence. Familiar examples are:

We could buy what she liked.

You may do whatever you choose.

Did the accused mention who this girl friend of his was... (Gordon)

He suggested that Bosnian seemed unduly zealous in calling for paper for the statement to be taken down. (Gordon)

He was anxious that they should realise he was an English man. (Gordon)

Antony wondered whether they would ever meet again. (Gordon)

He remembered that the waltz was in three-time,remembered the waltz of olden days — too well — That dance at Rodger's, and Irene, his own wife, waltzing in the arms of young Bosinney. (Galsworthy)

And later, on a sleepless pillow, she puzzled, as she had puzzled of late, as to how it was that she loved so strange a man, and loved him despite the disapproval of her people. (London)

Synonymic alternatives of object clauses are:

a) Gerundive nominals:

They all approved of his not being beaten by that cousin of his, (Galsworthy)

Soames had ever resented having had to sell the house at Robin Hill; never forgiven his uncle for having bought it,or his cousin for living in it. (Galsworthy)

He's going to begin farming, you know, he' ll make an excuse. Men hate being painted. (Galsworthy)

...he could not see Irene shivering,as though some garment had been torn from her, nor her eyes, black and mournful like the eyes of a beaten child. He could not hear Bosinney entreating, entreating, always entreating;could not hear her sudden, soft weeping, nor see that poor, hungry looking devil, awed and trembling, humbly touching her hand. (Galsworthy)

I looked in the door of the big room and saw the major sitting at the desk, and the window open and the sunlight coming into the room. (Hemingway)

b) Infinitival nominals:

He saw the squirrel's eyes, small and bright and watched his tail jerk in excitement. (Hemingway)

The Darties saw Bosinney spring out, and Irene follow, and hasten up the steps with bent head. (Galsworthy)

Instances are not few when infinitival and gerundive nominals go in one sentence in close proximity, e. g.:

Only vaguely did he see the judge shake his head in disagree ment and hear Turner mumbling something. (Gordon)