seems to be/seems to have?

[Thomas0857]

There "seems to be" a dispute going on in the room . Can you hear the noise?
-Can I use "seems to have" to replace in this sentence?

The mediator hopes the matter will be settled out of court.
The mediator hopes them to settle the matter out of court.
-Why the second sentence is wrong? I suppose those are same.

The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children play in the park.(correct)
The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children played in the park.(incorrect)
The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children were playing in the park.(incorrect)
-"has been sitting" emphasize the old man already staying a long time. Why only the first sentence correct?

Thank you

[Temico]

There "seems to be" a dispute going on in the room . Can you hear the noise?
-Can I use "seems to have" to replace in this sentence?
"A dispute seems to have taken place in the room. Can't you hear the noise(of the repercussions)?"

The mediator hopes the matter will be settled out of court.
The mediator hopes them to that they(the parties in the court case) will settle the matter out of court.

The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children play in the park.(correct)
The old man has been sitting sat there for hours watching children while they played in the park.
The old man has been sitting there for hours watching the children while they are playing in the park.

[danmahaffey]

There "seems to be" a dispute going on in the room . Can you hear the noise?
-Can I use "seems to have" to replace in this sentence?
When "seems to have" starts this sentence, have is an auxiliary verb and begs for been to place the first sentence in the past.

There seems to have been a dispute going on in the room.

We're not done yet. Now the second sentence should shift to the past to join the first.

Did you hear the noise?

That should do it.


The mediator hopes the matter will be settled out of court.
The mediator hopes them to settle the matter out of court.
-Why the second sentence is wrong? I suppose those are same.
Any of these quick fixes will work:

The mediator hopes for them to settle the matter out of court.
The mediator wants them to settle the matter out of court.
The mediator hopes they will settle the matter out of court.


The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children play in the park.(correct)
The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children played in the park.(incorrect)
The old man has been sitting there for hours watching children were playing in the park.(incorrect)
-"has been sitting" emphasize the old man already staying a long time. Why only the first sentence correct?
watching children play is a verbal, not a true verb. It has an aspect of the infinitive, meaning it is timeless, without tense. Play or playing are the only forms of the verb that are allowed.

Hope this helps.