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Question

Hi GuysI'm an editor for some company mag and I have a difference of opinion with the chief editor on this line -"Mid way through his dinner, John saw the same subject walked into the restaurant"My chief says 'walked' I say either 'walk' or 'walking'Which would be correct and why?ThanksJarrod

Avangi · Accepted Answer

AnonymousMid way through his dinner, John saw the same subject walked into the restaurant.

I don't find it to be a common usage in the US, but in my opinion, it's correct.

Any participle can be used as an adjective, present or past.

And as a "verbal," it can take objects and complements.

In my opinion, all three verbals are correct:

"walked" - past participle

"walking" - present participle

"walk" - infinitive

"To see" can be a copular verb, which gives us a lot of leeway.

Of course the problem is that the past participle implies that "the same subject" is the object of the action, while the other two place him as the subject.

I saw him knocked on the floor.

I saw him embarrassed by his boss. .

With "saw," it can mean you actually witnessed the action, or it can mean that you "found"/"considered" him to be in that condition.

We say things like, "I saw her walked to her door (by some guy)."

If this is the sense which your chief wishes to convey, then it's unquestionably correct.

Somebody walked the same subject into the restaurant.

Otherwise, it would probably be the better part of valor to use "walk/walking."

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