Complex Object

Complex Object consists of a noun in the common case or а pronoun in the objective case and the infinitive.

e.g. I want my sister to help me.

Remember!

Complex object is used after the verbs denoting wish and intention: to want, to wish, to desire, to mean, to intend, would like.

Exercise 1. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the use of the Complex Object.

1. My parents want me to be honest, kind and patient. 2. Our teachers expect us to come to classes regularly and be on time. 3. The teacher would like the students to show the interest in the subject.

4. We want them to participate in the discussion. 5. Put on a coat, I don’t want you to catch cold. 6. The teacher expected us to complete our assignment on time. 7. Do you want me to come early?

Remember!

Complex object is used after the verbs of mental activity: to know, to think, to consider, to expect, to believe, to feel, to imagine, to suppose.

Exercise 2. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the use of the Complex Object.

1. I knew my friends to be right. 2. We expect the delegation to arrive soon. 3. My friend believes me to complete the task soon. 4. We suppose the teacher to give some instructions on writing the test. 5. We know him to be a great authority on the subject. 6. We suppose the Minister of Education to appear on TV tonight. 7. We felt them to support the election campaign.

Remember!

Complex object is used after the verbs denoting order and permission:

to order, to command, to allow, to forbid, to encourage, to ask (for), to warn, to remind, etc.

In most cases after these verbs the Passive Infinitive is used.

Exercise 3. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the use of the Complex Object.

1. The teacher allowed us to complete the task after classes. 2. My parents always encouraged me to study English. 3. The hotel keeper didn’t allow them to cook in the room. 4. The officer commanded the soldiers not to touch anything. 5. Our English teacher forbade us to use the dictionary while we were writing grammar test. 6. Mother allowed children to play computer games after classes. 7. My friend asked for the letter to be sent off at once. 8. Remind me to phone my friend tomorrow. 9. My friend asked to be shown the photo. 10. The librarian ordered the books to be returned to the library tomorrow.

Exercise 4. Match two parts of the sentence using Complex Object with the Infinitive.

Model: 1-b: 1.The teachers want the students not to be late for classes.

Complex object is used after the verbs denoting sense or perception: to hear, to see, to watch, to feel, to observe, etc. After such verbs we use the infinitive without “to”.

Exercise 5. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the use of the Complex Object.

1. I heard her sing a song. 2. I saw him cross the street. 3. The teacher didn’t see us come in.

4. Did you feel the house shake? 5. She watched me open the room. 6. I saw my younger sister cry. 7. I noticed him tremble. 8. The teacher saw her children run in the school playground.

After the verbs “let and make” we use the infinitive without “to”.

Exercise 6. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the use of the Complex Object.

1. Hot weather makes me feel uncomfortable. 2. Our teacher wouldn’t let us speak Russian at the English lesson. 3. My friend let me drive his new car yesterday. 4. The story was very sad. It made her cry. 5. My parents don’t let me watch TV for more than an hour a day. 6. Don’t let the children do what they want. 7. Our teacher made us study all the rules on Complex Object. 8. What makes you think so?

Exercise 7. Choose the right variant: “to”+ the Infinitive or the Infinitive without “to”.

1. I want you to go/go to the USA.

2. Please let me to go/go home now.

3. The teacher didn’t see me to come in/come in.

4. My mother made me to study/study new words.

5. I heard her to cry/cry in the room.

6. Don’t let the children to play/play with matches.

7. My wife doesn’t let me to smoke/smoke indoors.

Exercise 8. Fill in the blanks with the particle “to” where necessary.

1. I tried to make him … see a doctor. 2. I always want my friend … write me letters. 3. You can’t make me… say what you want me … say. 4. Don’t let anybody … trouble the students. They are writing a grammar test. 5. I watched her … open the safe. 6. Do you want to go alone or … come to the party with you? 7. My friend persuaded me not … apply for that job. 8. The teacher would not let us … use our written topics at the exam.

Exercise 9. Replace the following complex sentences or groups of sentences by simple sentence with Complex Object according to the model.

Model: We never speak Ukrainian at the English lessons. Our teacher doesn’t like it.

Our English teacher doesn’t allow us to speak Ukrainian at the English lessons.

1. I’ll stay at home and do my homework. My parents said so. 2. She is a kind and honest girl. We know it. 3. I don’t eat sweets before dinner because mother has forbidden it. 4. My friends didn’t expect that I would participate in the students exchange program. 5 “Wait for me after classes”, my friend asked me. 6. I didn’t expect that my brother would forget a letter. 7. We know that our teacher is very proficient at her job.

Exercise 10. Fill in the blanks with a suitable verb. Some verbs may be used more than once.

1. Do you … me to tell the truth? 2. We … him to return so early. 3. The teacher … the children to be well behaved. 4. Who … you miss the lectures at the university? 5. My lawyer … me not to tell anything to the police. 6. Tell her what you … her to do. 7. I … you to say such rude things. 8. I … her cry loudly. 9. My friends … Ann bring some flowers. 10. John … his neighbour open the room.

Exercise 11. Practice the following according to the model.

Model: Student A: Do you want to recite the poem? (Would you like to recite the poem?)

Student B: No, I want you to recite a poem.

1) to introduce American students?

2) to translate the text into English?

3) to write a composition?

4) to clean the room?

5) to meet the delegation?

6) to take photos?

7) to visit parents on Sunday?

8) to buy flowers for Ann.

9) to do the shopping?

10) to draw a picture?

Exercise 12. Rewrite the sentences in reported speech, using a noun + infinitive construction with the verbs suggested in brackets.

Model: 1.“ It will be great if you study English, ” my friend said to me. My friend encouraged me to study English.

2. “Come to our English party, ” said Jane to the teacher of English. Jane wanted …

3. Our teacher said to us: “Bring English dictionaries on Friday.” The teacher wanted…

4. “My sons will study English at school, ” I said to my friend. I would like…

5. “Don’t be late for classes! ” the teacher said to the students. The teacher didn’t allow …

6. “Be careful, or you’ll break your leg, ” the coach said to the boy. The coach taught …

7. “Don’t eat too much bread, or you’ll put on weight! ” mother said to her daughter. Mother didn’t want…

Exercise 13. Complete the questions using Complex Object.

1. Did you hear …? (the bell, to ring)

2. Do you often see …? (He, to help, his mum)

3.Does your teacher like...? (to speak English, you, outdoors)

4. Do your friends want …? (we, to come to the party)

5. Why does your farther let...? (to play computer games, you, till late)

6. Did he make..? (you, your mind, to change)

7. Do you feel..? (your daughter, to tremble)

Exercise 14. Put the words into the right order to make up sentences with Complex Object.

1. my, friend, didn’t expect, I, to send, flowers, Alice.

2. their English teacher, know, the students, at her job, to be proficient.

3. your son, to be, an excellent student, I know.

4. Ben, his sister talk loudly, heard in the hall.

5. on the radio, we, our grandmother, saw, listen to the latest news.

6. all, by the lake, we, to watch the sun rise, gathered.

7. made, who, you, this difficult task, do?

Exercise 15. Translate the sentences into English using the Complex Object where possible.

1. Мій брат не чув, як я відчинив двері. 2. Я ніколи не бачив, як вона танцює, але я чув, що танцює вона чудово. 3. Аня відчула, що лікар торкнувся її руки. 4. Я хотів би, щоб ви допомогли мені перекласти текст англійською мовою. 5. Ми знаємо, що наші викладачі висококваліфіковані спеціалісти у своїй галузі. 6. Мій друг хотів би, щоб американських студентів запросили на вечір в університет. 7. Я не чекав, що Валерій братиме участь у програмі студентського обміну. 8. Нехай студенти 31-ін групи напишуть тест ще раз. 9. Не примушуйте дітей виконувати цю роботу знову. 10. Ми чекаємо, що наші друзі скоро приїдуть у Київ.