Representing thinking, perceiving, liking and desiring
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Using verb patterns to represent perceptions | page 2 of 13 |
Participants associated with perception verbs
Most verbs related to perception are typically used transitively
, so there are two participants .
One of these participants is human or in some way able to perceive; this participant can
be referred to as the perceiver. The other participant is what is perceived; this
participant can be referred to as the phenomenon:
Police officers observed a woman tourist get in the taxi. (SCMP 7/8/92)
perceiver phenomenon
The phenomenon can be a thing (or a person, as in the above example), an event, or a fact. Here are some examples of each type:
| 1. | thing | He said he then heard a burst of gunfire and the man's grip on
him loosened and he slumped to the floor. (SCMP 21/4/94) |
| 2. | event | I saw him turn and point his gun in my direction.
(SCMP 11/9/92)  |
| 3. | fact | I saw that he had turned and was pointing his gun in my direction. |
For further information about transitive and intransitive verbs (with the focus on
actions and events), see 
Using transitive and intransitive
verbs: Overview.
Introduction
Participants associated with perception verbs
