Regency of the verb watch

Analyzing the meaning of the verb highlighted in the sentences below:

(1) All watchedto theElizabeth Taylor movie.

(2) The lawyer presented the benefits that watched.

(3) the mother used to watch O/to the son in the hospital.

It can be seen that, in each case, there is a difference between the meanings expressed by the verb. In (1), the verb “to watch” has the meaning of “to witness”, “to be present”; in (2), the expressed meaning is “to fit someone's reason/right”; and, in (3), it is “provide assistance”, “help”, “rescue”. Furthermore, we can note that, in (1) and (3), the verb assumes an indirect and a direct/indirect transitivity, respectively.

In order for us to better understand this attitude of the verb “to assist”, we need to return to the concept of conducting. Verbal rulership is the link of the verb with its complement and can be established directly (without the aid of the intermediate preposition, when the complement is the direct object) or indirectly (with the help of the intermediate preposition, when the complement is a indirect object). So, we have to:

• The verb “to watch” will beindirect transitivewhen it means “to witness”, “to be present”, needing an indirect object.

Example:

All watchedto theElizabeth Taylor movie.

If we interrupt the prayer in the verb, see what happens:

Everyone watched… (THE what?)

Note that the verb will need a complement and that there will be a preposition between it and the indirect object:

all watchedTheElizabeth Taylor's film.

So, in this case, the rulership of the verb is indirect, that is, the verbal transitivity is indirect.

• The verb “to watch” will also beindirect transitivewhen it means “fitting someone's right/reason”.

Example:

The lawyer presented the benefits thatmewatched.

Note now the absence of the preposition before theindirect object. This is because, in this case, the verbal complement is expressed by an oblique pronoun, but the verb still has an indirect rulership, that is, it is an indirect transitive.

• The verb “to watch” will be used interchangeably asdirect or indirect transitivewhen used in the sense of “adjusting”, “provide assistance”, “rescue”.

Example:

The mother used to watch the son in the hospital.

or

The mother used to watchThethe son in the hospital.

Observation: Want to know more about the transitivity of verbs and verbal complements? Click on the texts below: Transitivity vherbal What is direct object? What is an indirect object?

By Mariana Rigonatto
Graduated in Letters

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/regencia-correta-verbo-assistir.htm