Now you have me thinking.

[novice2018]

Now you have me thinking.
Is this sentence correct grammatically?

 

[emsr2d2]

Welcome to the forum. :hi:

You'll certainly hear it in British English.

 

[novice2018]

Hi. Thanks.
But is the sentence correct? I am having a big debate with someone over it. I say it is. He says it's not.
He said the causative verb should have got, or the gerund should be think instead of thinking.

I know he's wrong. But I don't know why.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, he's wrong simply because the causative verb doesn't have to be have got. It can alternatively be have, as it is here. The pattern is this:

• have somebody doing something

 

[emsr2d2]

It's true that BrE speakers would probably use "have got" but it means the same as "have" so there is no difference in meaning. "think" would definitely be wrong.

You have me thinking/You've got me thinking = You have brought me to a point where I am thinking [about something specific]

It would be possible to use "think" in "You've made me think" - that has a similar meaning to the original.

 

[tedmc]

Am I right to say that "have me think" is incorrect because the phrase is dangling/incomplete?

 

[GoesStation]

It's true that BrE speakers would probably use "have got" but it means the same as "have" so there is no difference in meaning.

I prefer "have got", and I think most Americans would say that, but I agree that "have" is not incorrect.

 

[jutfrank]

Am I right to say that "have me think" is incorrect because the phrase is dangling/incomplete?

I'm not sure what you mean but I'm quite confident the answer is no. The reason the verb is in the -ing form is that it shows the action is durative.

 

[Tarheel]

I recently said on this forum, "There you go making me think again."

 

[novice2018]

I'm not sure what you mean but I'm quite confident the answer is no. The reason the verb is in the -ing form is that it shows the action is durative.

Yes, that is what I said. It is a continuing action in present tense.

I didn't want to say, You've made me think, because it would've shown past tense.
We were still in the same conversation and I was searching for something he said.
So I said, now you have me thinking...and I started to look up what he stated. Then the debate started and we started to look that up instead; with no luck.
Then I found this site, and prayed someone smarter then me would know the answer.

I know my English is correct, but I've never been such an expert in the syntax of a sentence.
But I know when it's right or wrong. And I know I'm right.

 

[GoesStation]

As I said above, although Now you have me thinking is not incorrect, native speakers would be much more likely to say you've got me thinking. I recommend that you use that version next time.

 

[Phaedrus]

Now you have me thinking.
Is this sentence correct grammatically?

For what it's worth, we find the same pattern in:

The comedian had the audience laughing.
The judge will have him begging for mercy.
Now you have me freaking out about it.

 

[jutfrank]

Phaedrus's first two examples in post #12 (showing past and future meaning) show cases where have got is not possible, since have got is only possible to talk about the present.

 

[Tdol]

But I know when it's right or wrong. And I know I'm right.

Were you sure of your answer at the time of speaking?

 

[novice2018]

He told me to ask this question

Can causative verbs take gerund for an object complement?

 

[jutfrank]

Give us an example of what you mean.

 

[Tarheel]

He told me to ask this question

Can causative verbs take gerunds for [STRIKE]an[/STRIKE] object complements?

Or:

Can a causative verb take a gerund for an object complement?