Verb + object + V-ing (keep him waiting)
Verb + object + V-ing (keep him waiting) means “Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show what the object was doing”. Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show that the object was doing something: I kept him waiting. Formation: verb + object + V-ing
Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show what the object was doing
A2Formation
verb + object + V-ing
Explanation
Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show that the object was doing something: I kept him waiting. Common verbs are keep, catch, find, leave and see: She caught them cheating. The -ing tells us what the object was doing at that moment. Compare verb + object + to-infinitive (I want you to wait), which points to a later action, not one already in progress.
Examples
Note
With see, hear and watch, the -ing form stresses an action in progress, while the base form stresses the whole action: I saw him crossing vs I saw him cross the road.
FAQ
Verb + object + V-ing (keep him waiting) — what does it mean and how is it used?
Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show what the object was doing. Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to show that the object was doing something: I kept him waiting. Common verbs are keep, catch, find, leave and see: She caught them cheating. The -ing tells us what the object was doing at that moment. Compare verb + object + to-infinitive (I want you to wait), which points to a later action, not one already in progress.
Verb + object + V-ing (keep him waiting) — how do you form it?
verb + object + V-ing
Verb + object + V-ing (keep him waiting) — any usage notes?
With see, hear and watch, the -ing form stresses an action in progress, while the base form stresses the whole action: I saw him crossing vs I saw him cross the road.