Talk&Talking

Hi, Wael,

@Wael Shaltoot posted:

I like listening to Dr El Baz (talk_talking). I can't miss a word of his speech.

I have come across this sentence in a book. I think the question maker tries to have us choose"talk". Yet, is it OK?

If it is OK, What about "listening TO". I think it needs a prepositional phrase.

I think "TALK" is OK if we add " 's" to El Baz

I'll try to simplify your question as follows:

1. I like listening to him (OR: Dr. El-Baz) talk.

2. I like listening to him (OR: Dr. El-Baz) talking.

3. I like listening to his (OR: Dr. El-Baz's) talk.

All the three examples are grammatically correct whether with the genitive case or the objective case and their meaning is very close. In your example, adding 'I can't miss a word of his speech' means that the expected model answer is 'talk'. From Longman English Grammar, L. G. Alexander:

• Verb + noun or pronoun object + bare infinitive or '-ing'

"These verbs can be followed by a noun or pronoun object + bare infinitive or the -ing form: feel, hear, listen to, look at, notice .....The bare infinitive generally refers to the complete action."

Thanks

@Wael Shaltoot posted:

I like listening to Dr El Baz (talk_talking). I can't miss a word of his speech.

I have come across this sentence in a book. I think the question maker tries to have us choose"talk". Yet, is it OK?

If it is OK, What about "listening TO". I think it needs a prepositional phrase.

I think "TALK" is OK if we add " 's" to El Baz

Hi, Wael—I agree with Ahmed's answer. I'd like to add that the most natural option here is to omit "talk"/"talking." Simply say:

• I like listening to Dr. El Baz. I can't miss a word of his speech.

If you say you like listening to someone, the default interpretation will be that you like listening to what he says, not that you like listening to him sing, etc.