Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sabrinak]

Hello,

I'm confused with the following sentence especially because of the use of the verb want:


She did not want Zeus playing with the nymphs in the lovely green fields of earth.

1. Is this sentence grammatically correct?

2. Is it the same in meaning with "She did not want Zeus to play with the nymphs in the lovely green fields of earth."?

I really appreciate your answer. Thanks.

[Suzanne]

Hi!

Yes, both sentences are okay. Native speakers would probably use the gerund, "playing," but either one is fine.

"Want" here means "like." You could also say," She didn't like Zeus playing with the nymphs..."