[Grammar] I can smell him cook.

[wotcha]

1. I can smell him cooking.

2. I can smell him cook.


Is sentence 2 grammatical?

 

[Rover_KE]

They are both grammatical if he is the one being cooked.

Otherwise, say 'I can smell his cooking.'

 

[tzfujimino]

he is the one being cooked.

:shock:

 

[wotcha]

They are both grammatical if he is the one being cooked.

Otherwise, say 'I can smell his cooking.'

Then, what about

"I can smell the bread burn"?

Is it correct?

 

[tzfujimino]

Then, what about

"I can smell the bread burn"?

Is it correct?

Hello, wotcha.:-D

Well, I think you are asking about the usage of "verbs of perception".

1. see/hear + object + infinitive
I saw her cross the road.
I heard him go down the stairs.

2. see/hear + object + present participle (-ing form)
I saw her crossing the road.
I heard him going down the stairs.

3. see/hear + object + past participle
I heard my name called.
I've never seen a television thrown through a window.

Interestingly enough, however, the verb 'smell' is used in #2: "smell + object(something) + present participle (-ing form)"
smell - Definition and pronunciation | Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

So, as to your question, "I can smell the bread burning." is correct.

I hope I can be of some help to you.