Identify the sentence with the following pattern :
Subject + Vt + Noun/pronoun + present participle (phrase)

Question

Accepted Answer

Here's the explanation:

Option 1, "They saw the thief running away," fits the pattern Subject + Vt + Noun/pronoun + present participle (phrase) perfectly.

*   **They:** Subject
*   **saw:** Verb transitive (Vt) - takes a direct object.
*   **the thief:** Noun (direct object of "saw")
*   **running away:** Present participle phrase modifying "the thief." It describes what the thief was doing.

Now, let's examine why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Option 2: He will need looking after.** This sentence has a subject ("He"), a verb phrase ("will need"), but "looking after" functions as a gerund phrase acting as the object of "need." It doesn't have a noun/pronoun followed by a present participle phrase modifying that noun/pronoun.

*   **Option 3: He began talking about his family.** This sentence has a subject ("He"), a verb ("began"), and a gerund phrase ("talking about his family") acting as the object of the verb. There is no noun/pronoun followed by a present participle phrase.

*   **Option 4: He prefers walking to going by car.** This sentence has a subject ("He"), a verb ("prefers"), and two gerund phrases ("walking" and "going by car") connected by "to." Again, there is no noun/pronoun followed by a present participle phrase modifying that noun/pronoun.

Therefore, only Option 1 accurately reflects the specified sentence pattern.