有關英語中動名詞的疑問

I would only answer on the aspect of grammar only, regardless of the thought!

1. The verb "make" is a kind of causative verbs which take a direct object and a bare infinite after the verb itself. Typical causative verbs are "make", "get" , "let" and "have".

"Causative verbs express an action which is caused to happen. In other words, when I have something done for me I cause it to happen." (esl.about.com)

Format: subject + MAKE + object + bare infinitive
Meaning: to cause somebody/something to do something

~ The prize is making Peter become arrogant.

subject: the prize
main verb: is making (present continuous tense)
object: Peter
complement: become arrogant

"become" acts as a linking verb (meaning: to start to be something) to link up the predicative adjective "arrogant" as the complement of the object "Peter".

2. Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together.

The verb "make" has another use.
Format: subject + MAKE + object + adjective
Meaning: to cause somebody/something to be or become something

"the world" is the direct object of the main verb "make" (present continuous: is making)
"smaller" is an adjective (comparitive form) acting as the Object Complement to modify and add information to "the world".

2015-05-22 00:29:11 補充：
Grammar Note:
The first sentence can be rewritten into the format of second sentence, as:

The prize is making Peter arrogant.
The prize has made Peter arrogant.

vice versa:
Some people say that the Internet makes the world become smaller by bringing people together.

2015-05-23 01:00:35 補充：
1) The prize makes Peter become arrogant. (correct use of causative verb)

2) The price makes Peter becoming arrogant. (incorrect)
The prize is making Peter arrogant. (correct, object complement has to be an adjective for the meaning of "cause somebody to become something")

2015-05-23 01:17:06 補充：
The object complement as a noun is different from the direct object and it much depends on the verb that you are using. Don't be confused!

1. Please make me a cup of coffee.
(make - ditransitive verb, me - indirect object, a cup of coffee - direct object)

other example: He gave her a kiss.

2015-05-23 01:27:16 補充：
2. Please call me Judy.
(call - transitive verb, me - object, Judy - object complement modifying me)

Somebody names this kind of verbs "verb of nominating".

2015-05-23 01:44:11 補充：
Grammar Note:

Types of Transitive Verbs:
1. monotransitive - have only a direct object,
2. ditransitive - have a direct object and an indirect object.
3. complex-transitive - have a direct object and an object complement.

2015-05-23 02:32:34 補充：
The difference uses of "make":
1. as causative verb: The prize makes him study aboard.
2. as complex-transitive: The prize made him arrogant.
3. as ditransitive: Peter made his mom a birthday cake.
4. mono-transitive: She makes her own clothes.

2015-05-23 06:43:33 補充：
The different uses ...

2015-05-24 00:54:32 補充：
補充意見001

The prize is making Peter arrogant. (correct, object complement is an adjective for the meaning of "cause somebody to become something")

當然, obj complement after "make" can also be a NOUN (but not gerund), which renames the object.

~ The prize has made Peter a star.

2015-05-24 01:01:45 補充：
Grammer Notes:

Gerunds may also be used as object complements, but very uncommon.

Object complements with gerunds are possible with only a few verbs. The most common ones are "call" and "consider".

Julie, well said!

當 make (transitive verb) 解 cause 或 force,
跟住 object 後面的 verb, 是用 bare infinitive,
不是 infinitive with "to" 或者 present participle

make someone/something + do (bare infinitive) something
What made you change your mind?

Jenkin 你好像全然不知, 你沒有聽過小學生常說, "He made me do it."?

2015-05-24 12:26:54 補充：
並且一提
當 see 是 transitive verb

I saw someone do something
I saw someone doing something

兩者都可以, 但 meaning 不同
前者 I saw the complete action from beginning to end
後者 Someone was in the middle of doing something, I saw it, This does not mean I saw the complete action.

你的例子The prize is making Peter become arrogant.有很多不妥之處。

不過先講你似乎認為當中making是動名詞，但是這verb(make)並不是動名詞，句式上是現在進行式IS MAKING，只不過主詞是死物The price，受詞是一個人Peter。跟一般的句子例子有點反轉，只不過意義上這"死物令人產生影響"是可以的。

這句的錯處是在Peter之後的become上。

應該是這BECOME+ING成為動名詞才合文法：
The prize is making Peter becoming arrogant.
但反過來研究這句的話，IS MAKING這現在進行時態又變得不合理。使Peter arrogant是一種不可能有時間限制(進行中)的狀態。因此假如要用這些字來寫出一句合理的句子。唯一是把MAKE這動詞寫成永恆真理/不受時間主導意義的simple present tense來表達這THE PRIZE的影響力。

The price makes Peter becoming arrogant.

當然這句還是有些意義上的瑕疵，不過不再修理下去了。

Some people say that the Internet is making the world smaller by bringing people together.

將smaller直接放在the world就是形容the world的比較。
make it bigger, make it better, live longer, move faster等等比較的詞(adj/adv)也是直接跟住寫便可以的。