Complex Object Exercises

English grammar exercises and activities for teaching Complex object to English language learners. Some exercises include answer keys.

Exercise 1 

Make up as many sentences as you can using the words and word-groups from each column of the substitution table. Pay attention that after verbs 'to see, to hear, to feel, to let, to make, etc...' the infinitive has no particle 'to' .

1) with the verb 'to see'

We He Everybody

see(s) saw

them a bricklayer my friend a boy the landlady

move to a summer cottage. lay a brick house. enter a two-storey house. draw a skyscraper. speak to her lodger. pull down a house.

 2) with the verb 'to hear'

I We He They

hear(s)   heard

my friend them a guest the hostess our teacher

ring the bell. praise my two-room flat. speak to the hostess. welcome her guests. tell his friend of the rest-home. read a play.

3) with the verb 'to feel'

The patient I He

feel(s) felt

the nurse mother the older sister her his friend the feather-bed

smooth his pillow. tuck the blanket. dry his back with a bath towel. smooth his bedsheet. put a cushion. sink under his weight.

4) with the verb 'to want'

I She Our teacher

want(s) wanted

you him our house us this work

to draw the blinds. to pull up the blinds. to spread the carpet on the floor. to face the park. to master English. to be done.

5) with the verb 'to make'

I Mother

make(s) made

her son him us

go to bed. turn off the light. water the flowers. mend the bookshelf.

 5) with the verb 'to let'

I She They

let(s) let

her son

screw in a new bulb. unscrew a fused bulb. light a candle. plug in the iron. leave for London.

6) with the verb 'to expect'

I We Mother

expect(s) expected

you

to air the room. to receive the guests in the setting room. to wait in the adjoining room. to follow her advice;

 6) with the verb 'should like' / 'would like'

I

should like

you him George

to help me. to have a good time. to arrange everything by the time I come back.

Exercise 2 

Change the complex sentences into simple ones using complex objects.

Model:
A: I think that the flat is very cosy.
B: I think the flat to be very cosy.

1. I think that a shower is a most important convenience. 
2. I think that our water supply is not good.
3. I saw that he pressed the bell.
4. I did not expect that they would come in time. 
5. I watched how he spoke on the phone. 
6. He heard that the telephone rang. 
7. I saw that he took out his latch-key. 
8. She believed that he had stolen her money to pay his debts.
9. He wants that this work will be done. 
10. He wants that this work will have been done by Friday. 

Answer key:

1. I think a shower to be a most important convenience. 
2. I think our water supply not to be good. 
3. I saw him press the bell. 
4. I did not expect them to come in time. 
5. I watched him speak on the phone.
6. He heard the telephone ring. 
7. I saw him take out his latch-key. 
8. She believed him to have stolen her money to pay his debts. 
9. He wants this work to be done. 
10. He wants this work to have been done by Friday. 

Exercise 3

Combine the following sentences using either Complex Object or that-clause (pay attention to Sequence of tenses).

1. They haven’t seen. The railway accident occurred near the station. 
2. I heard. They argued about different tastes in art. 
3. I see. Your tastes differ greatly. 
4. We heard. He made a report on his new discovery. 

Answer key: 

1. They haven’t seen the railway accident have occurred near the station.  - They haven’t seen that the railway accident had occurred near the station. 
2. I heard them argue about different tastes in art. / I heard them arguing about different tastes in art. - I heard that they argued about different tastes in art. 
3. I see your tastes differ greatly. - I see that your tastes differ greatly. 
4. We heard him make a report on his new discovery. / We heard him making a report on his new discovery. - We heard that he made a report on his new discovery. 

Exercise 4

Practise in using Comlpex Object after 'make'. Change the sentences according to the model.

Model:
A: His mother advised him to write a story.
B: His mother made him write a story.

1. His father advised him to quit smoking. 
2. His brother advised him to get a new job. 
3. Mary’s teacher advised her to take part in the writing contest. 
4. Her parents advised her to move to Chicago. 

Exercise 5

Practise sentences with Complex Object after the verb 'want'. Say that you (he, she, they, etc.) want somebody to do the following.

Model:
A: I want to be introduced to Mr Laurie. (the host)
B: I want the host to introduce me to Mr Laurie.

1. The patient wanted to be examined. (the doctor) 
2. The man wants to be treated for rheumatism. (Doctor House) 
3. He wished to be cured of his illness. (the specialist) 
4. Usually English people don’t like to be asked personal questions. (strangers) 

Answer key: 1. The patient wanted the doctor to examine him. 2. The man wants Doctor House to treat him for rheumatism. 3. He wished the specialist to cure him of his illness. 4. Usually English people don’t like strangers to ask personal questions. 

Exercise 6

Combine sentences using Complex Subject.

Model:
A: I heard him. He answered the door-bell.
B: I heard him answer the door-bell.

1. He saw her. She burst into tears. 
2. I haven’t heard him. He called my name. 
3. The nurse watched the boy. The boy cried. 
4. I felt his hand. His hand shook. 
5. We saw a man. The man pulled the door open. 

Answer: 1. He saw her burst into tears. 2. I haven’t heard him call my name. 3. The nurse watched the boy cry. 4. I felt his hand shake. 5. We saw the man pull the door open. 

Exercise 7

Practise in using Complex Object.

a. Say what you (he, she) would (should) like me (him, her…) to do.

Model:
     to fix an appointment for someone for Monday
A: I would like you to fix an appointment for me for Monday.

1. to have a good time at the party; 
2. to arrange everything by the time I come back; 
3. to show them the historical monuments of the city; 
4. to tell me the news in brief.

b. Ask a friend if he wants you to do the following. Work in pair.

Model:
     to take care of the tickets
A: Do you want me to take care of the tickets?
B: Yes, do please.

1. to come and help you with the packing; 
2. to brief the pressman about the State Visit; 
3. to show you some historical places of our city; 
4. to entertain the guests; 
5. to make a speech in Italian.

c. Say that you want certain thing (to be) done.

Model:
     to answer a telephone call
A: I want a telephone call to be answered

1. to publish the historical manuscripts; 
2. to do the steak well; 
3. to do the work properly; 
4. to forget this incident; 
5. to tell the story in brief.

d. Ask a friend if he has heard or seen the following. Work in pair.

Model:
     the Chairman – to make an announcement
A: Did you hear the Chairman make an announcement?
B: Yes, I certainly did. (No, I am sorry, I didn’t.)

1. they (to tell) about the car accident; 
2. these flowers (to grow) in your country; 
3. he (to do) the role of Richard III; 
4. George (to take) the papers out of his brief-case. 

Exercise 8 

Read the extract from the poem pointing out complex objects. Learn the extract by heart.

The Wind

(by R. L. Stevenson)

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky.
And all round I heard you pass
Like ladies’ skirts across the grass.
Oh, wind, a-blowing all day long,
Oh, wind, that sings so loud a song!
I saw the different things you did.
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all.
O wind, a-blowing all day long!
O wind, that sings so loud a song !

• Go to the 'Infinitive (Forms and Functions) Worksheet' page
• Go to the 'Infinitive Complex Object' Grammar page 
• 'Complex Subject Exercises'