Thanks for that, ouyang! You sure seem to know your stuff!
I was thinking that the mobility/separability of the participial phrase would make it hard to pin that "structure" down, and most of the grammars that I sneaked a peek in indeed have stacks of complex
verb phrases/examples of verb complementation, but far fewer examples of the thing that Elvis seems to be after (of which there is usually a random but small selection from writing or literature, which is not that representative actually of the (like you say) wide variety of possible combinations out there). But I'll repost what I'd tentatively submitted (but then deleted, as anyone browsing might have seen pop up briefly!) earlier from the
COBUILD Grammar Patterns 1: Verbs, for what it has to say about the complex verb groups it subsumes under the heading 'V -ing' (someone might find COBUILD's approach here interesting or useful, even though it is not quite what Elvis was looking for):
V -ing
The verb is followed by an '-ing' form.
This pattern has three structures:
>Structure I: Verbs in phase (i.e. complex verb groups)
She started walking.
>Structure II: Verb with Object
He liked dancing with her.
>Structure III: Verb with Adjunct
They ended up fighting.
There are the following meaning groups for each structure:
I.1 The 'start' and 'stop' group (begin, case, come, commence, continue, discontinue, finish, get, go, (not) go, keep, quit, resume, start, stop; burst out, carry on, fall about, fall to, give over, give up, go about, go around/round, go on, keep on, leave off, take to)
I.2 The 'avoid' group (avoid, (not) bother, escape, evade, forbear, omit, (cannot) resist, shun)
I.3 The 'try' group (chance, risk, try)
I.4 The 'go riding' group (come, go)
II.1 The 'like' and 'dislike' group (adore, appreciate, (cannot) bear, (not) begrudge, detest, dislike, (cannot) endure, enjoy, hate, like, loathe, love, (not) mind, mind, prefer, relish, resent, (cannot) stand, (cannot) stomach, (not) tolearte; take to)
II.2 The 'dread' and 'look forward to' group (dread, (not) face, fancy, favour, fear; look forward to)
II.3 The 'consider' group (anticipate, consider, contemplate, debate, envisage, fantasize, imagine, intend, visualize; count on/upon, figure on, look into, plan on, reckon on, see about)
II.4 The 'remember' group (forget, miss, recall, recollect, regret, remember, (cannot) remember)
II.5 The 'recommend' group (acknowledge, admit, advise, advocate, deate, deny, describe, forbid, mention, prohibit, propose, recommend, report, suggest, urge)
II.6 The 'involve' group (allow, entail, involve, justify, mean, necessitate, permit, preclude, prevent, save)
II.7 The 'postpone' group (defer, delay, postpone; put off)
II.8 The 'need' group (deserve, need, require, want)
II.9 The 'risk' group (chance, risk)
II.10 Miscellaneous group (discourage, encourage, endure, mime, practise; get away with, go into, go towards, go without, play at)
III.1 (die; end up, finish up, hang around, start off, wind up)
You might like to think about which of the above verbs can match which of the following '-ings' (there are many possible combinations) - think of it as an "Example Generator" (there were too many examples for me to type them all up in full!):
...alienating...
...asking...
...awakening...
...being... (e.g. ~ called, treated (e.g. ~ like), caught) ...
...buying...
...calling...
...causing...
...changing...
...committing...
...crossing...
...crying...
...dancing...
...destroying...
...dining on...
...doing nothing...
...eating...
...feeding...
...feeling...
...fighting...
...following...
...forcing...
...funding...
...generating...
...getting into...
...giving...
...going back...
...having... (e.g. ~ people around; having to do sthg) ...
...hoping...
...learning...
...leaving...
...living...
...looking...
...losing...
...making...
...meeting...
...moving...
...pampering...
...playing...
...pointing...
...removing...
...riding...
...ringing...
...rushing...
...saying...
...seeing...
...seeking...
...shopping...
...sorting ( ~ out) ...
...speaking...
...stalking
...supplementing...
...swimming...
...taking ( ~ a holiday, drugs, the car etc) ...
...teaching...
...touching...
...treating...
...trying...
...walking...
...washing...
Then there are "completives" to consider (some are given in brackets above). ('The term "Completive" is used in this book as a general term covering anything that occurs after a verb, such as an Object, Complement, Adjunct, or new clause, wherever this cannot be specified exactly. For example, if a verb occurs in phase with another verb, these verbs form a complex verb group, and what occurs after this group varies according to the second verb. In the clause
The arrangements appeared to be satisfactory, the complex verb group is
appeared to be, and the Completive is the adjective
satisfactory (the Complement). In the clause
No-one appeared to notice her, the complex verb group is
appeared to notice, and the Completive is the noun group
her (the Object).' (From the 'Glossary of grammatical terms'))
Here's some material based on stuff from the related practice book:
A)i) Rewrite these sentences using the verb given in brackets in combination with the underlined verb.
1 We wrote our witty letters again as if nothing was wrong. (begin)
> We began writing our witty letters again as if nothing was wrong.
2 I lived with my mum right up until we moved into this house. (carry on)
3 The team has not analyzed that data yet. (finish)
4 I asked people how they felt about America. (go around)
ii) In the following sentences there is no underlined verb to guide you!
5 I couldn't sleep and thought of the wonderful dancing that I'd seen. (keep)
6 Dunne looked up at the ceiling and then stared at the fire. (resume)
7 He walked long distances in an attempt to physically exhaust himself. (take to)
B) Rewrite using the verb in brackets.
1 People did not talk about the problem. (avoid)
2 When I was young, people didn't lock their doors. (not bother)
3 The dustmen made so much noise that I did not try to sleep. (give up)
4 'Don't read those books,' he said. 'They'll put ideas into your head.' (quit)
5 Hughes didn't use a wheelchair for almost two years. (resist)
6 His old comrades don't write to him anymore. (stop)
C) Rewrite using the verb in brackets with the pattern V -ing.
1 45% of the British people would possibly vote Green in a general election. (consider)
2 They are hoping that they will get money from the government. (count on)
3 I had been self-employed for so long that I couldn't think what it would be like to work for someone else. (imagine)
4 He thought he'd continue work on his writing. (intend)
5 You should expect to pay around £25,000 for a one-bedroomed flat. (reckon on)
6 I shall go and consult my lawyer. Then I must make arrangements to sell the house. (see about)
D) Rewrite each pair of sentences as one sentence.
1 I used to be homeless. I'll never forget that.
> I'll never forget being homeless.
2 He made the telephone call. He admitted it.
3 I feel resentful. I can't help it.
4 She didn't want to tell Sue. She put it off until the last minute.
5 He cheated. He believed he might be able to get away with it.
6 They charge £22.50 for a fishing licence. I don't know how they can justify it.
7 People cannot campaign in the final two days before voting. The law forbids it.
E) For each of the sentences below, say whether the underlined phrase indicates a past action or a possible future action.
1 The boys were expelled after admitting smoking cannabis = past
2 For best results, Virginia advises using olive oil rather than vegetable oil.
3 Witnesses described hearing a loud bang.
4 The committee recommended increasing the tax on fuels.
5 I don't regret telling her my suspicions.
6 I can remember sitting on the floor and eating an egg sandwich.
7 Several passengers reported seeing smoke coming from the engine.
8 They suggest opening up unused land around the airport.
F) Match up the two halves of each sentence:
1 Many women delay...
2 These criminals deserve...
3 To improve your skills, practise...
4 He appears gentle but ends up...
5 The official policy is not to encourage...
6 This technique involves...
a ...removing the surface layer of the bone.
b ...doing harm.
c ...cycling on major roads.
d ...throwing and catching balls.
e ...having children until later in life.
f ...locking up.