THE NON-FINITE FORMS OF THE VERB (THE

VERBALS)

 
The verb has finite and non-finite forms, or verbals.
They are the participle, the gerund and the infinitive.
Verbals:
-unlike the finite forms of the verb, do not express
person, number or mood, and cannot be used as the
predicate of a sentence.

-like the finite forms of the verb, have tense and voice
distinctions, but their tense distinctions is specific.
- have a double nature, nominal and verbal. the
gerund and the infinitive combine the
characteristics of a verb with those of a noun.

- can form predicative constructions, i. e.

constructions consisting of two elements, a nominal
(noun or pronoun) and a verbal (participle, gerund
or infinitive); the verbal element stands in predicate
relation to the nominal element, i. e. in a relation
similar to that between the subject and the
predicate of the sentence. In most cases predicative
constructions form syntactic units, serving as one
part of the sentence.
 The Infinitive
A verbal that has a double nature, nominal and verbal.
The nominal character of the infinitive is manifested in its syntactic functions.
It can be used:
• (а) as the subject of a sentence.
To go on like this was dangerous. (Galsworthy)
• (b) as a predicative.
Her plan was now to drive to Bath during the night. (Hardy)
• (c) as an object.
I have never learnt to read or write. (Collins)
The verbal characteristics of the infinitive are as follows:
• (a) can take a direct object.
He began to feel some curiosity... (Eliot)
• (b) can be modified by an adverb.
I cannot write so quickly.
• (c) has tense and aspect distinctions, and voice distinctions.
 Forms of the infinitive
Active Passive

to write to be written
Indefinite

to be writing —
Continuous

to have written to have been

Perfect written
to have been writing —
Perfect Continuous
 The tense and aspect distinctions of
the infinitive
1. The Indefinite Infinitive expresses an action simultaneous
with the action expressed by the finite verb, so it may refer
to the present, past or future.
• I am glad to meet you.
• I was glad to see Mr. Paul.
• Mr. Forsyte will be very glad to see you.
2. The Continuous Infinitive also denotes an action
simultaneous with that expressed by the finite verb, but it
is an action in progress. Thus the continuous infinitive is
not only a tense form, but also an aspect form, expressing
both time relations and the manner in which the action is
presented.
He seemed to be reading my mind
 3. The Perfect Infinitive denotes an action prior to the action
expressed by the finite verb.
• "I'm glad to have seen you," he said
  4. The Perfect Continuous Infinitive denotes an action which
lasted a certain time before the action of the finite verb.

• For about ten days we seemed to have been living

on nothing but cold meat, cake and bread and jam.
(Jerome) — Дней десять мы, казалось, питались
только холодным мясом, печеньем и хлебом с
вареньем.
The voice distinctions of the infinitive
• The infinitive of transitive verbs has special
forms for the Active and the Passive Voice:
It is so glorious to love and to be loved...

• In sentences with the construction there is the

infinitive of some verbs can be active or
passive without any change in the meaning:
There's no time to lose. There is no time to be
lost. There is nothing to fear (to be feared).
 The bare infinitive
1. After auxiliary verbs.
2. After modal verbs except the verb ought.
3. After verbs denoting sense perception, such as to hear, to see, to feel, etc.
I never saw you look so well before. (Hardy) — Я никогда не видел, чтобы вы
так хорошо выглядели.
I felt my heart jump. (Heym) — Я почувствовал, что у меня ёкнуло сердце.
Note. The verb to be after the verb to feel is used with the particle to:
I felt this to be very true. (Dickens) — Я чувствовал, что это совершенно
верно.
4. After the verb to let, to make and to have in the meaning of'заставлять'
What makes you think so? (Carter) — Что заставляет вас так думать?
I... had them take my baggage. (Hemingway) — Я... велел им взять мой багаж.
5. The verb to have in the meaning of'допускать' is chiefly used after the
modal verbs will and would in negative sentences.
I will not have you call him Daniel any more. (Trollope) — Я не допущу, чтобы
вы продолжали называть его Даниэлем. I would not have you think that I
am selfish. (Trollope) — Я не допущу, чтобы вы считали меня эгоистом.
 The bare infinitive
6. After the expressions had better; would rather; would sooner; can not but, nothing but
You had better go to bed and leave the patient to me. (Shaw) Вы бы лучше легли спать и
оставили пациента на моем попечении.
I would rather not speak upon the subject. (Hardy) — Я бы пред* почел не говорить на эту
тему.
I cannot but think so. (Trollope) — Я не могу не думать так.
There was nothing left for him to do but watch and wait. — Единственное, что ему
оставалось, — это наблюдать и ждать.
She does nothing but make scenes from morning till night. (Shaw) — Она только и делает,
что устраивает сцены с утра до ночи.
I looked long at that picture, and could not choose but look. (Ch. Bronte) — Я долго смотрела
на эту картину и не могла не смотреть на нее.
Had better; would rather; to do nothing but belong to colloquial English, whereas cannot but
and cannot choose but are characteristic of elevated style.

7. In sentences of a special type (infinitive sentences) beginning with why.

Why not come and talk to her yourself? (Reade) — Почему бы вам самой не прийти
поговорить с ней?
 The split infinitive
The particle to may be separated from the infinitive
by an adverb; this is the so-called split infinitive.
He was unable, however, to long keep silence.
(Galsworthy) — Он был, однако, не в состоянии
долго молчать.
It could be used in colloquial English.
Well, you ought to at least try.
As soon as I get the word, I'm going to really hurry.
 
The functions of the infinitive in the sentence

• 1. The infinitive as a subject.

Even to think of it gave him ineffable torture.
Одна мысль об этом причиняла ему
невыразимые страдания
It is useless to discuss the question.—
Бесполезно обсуждать этот вопрос.
• 2. The infinitive can also be used as part of a predicative.
The abode of Mrs. Betty was not easy to find. (Dickens) —
Жи­лище миссис Бетти было нелегко найти.
• 3. The infinitive as part of a compound verbal predicate.
• (а) compound verbal modal predicate - with modal verbs,
modal expressions, and verbs expressing modality
We must not leave him by himself any longer. (Dickens)
The train was to leave at midnight. (Hemingway) ...
I intend to lead a better life in the future. (Wilde)
• (b) compound verbal aspect predicate - with verbs
denoting the beginning, duration, or end of an action
Clare continued to observe her.
• 4. The infinitive as an object.
Leila had learned to dance at boarding school.
(Mansfield)
He asked me to walk in. (Collins)
He found it utterly impossible to leave the spot.
(Hardy) — Он считал совершенно
невозможным покинуть это место (the
introductory object it.)
• 5. The infinitive as part of a complex object.
• I never saw you act this way before.— Я
никогда раньше не видел, чтобы вы так
поступали.
• 6. The infinitive as an attribute.
• I have not had time to examine this room yet. У меня еще
не было времени осмотреть эту комнату.
• She was not a woman to suffer in silence. Она была не
такая женщина, которая стала бы страдать молча.
• I have nobody to say a kind word to me. У меня нет
никого, кто сказал бы мне доброе слово.
• The infinitive used as an attribute can have a modal
significance - it expresses an action thought of as
obligatory or possible, it can also express an idea of
purpose.
• Here is a nice book to read before going to bed. — Вот
книга, которую хорошо почитать перед сном.
• I've got my wife and little boy to look after.
• 7. The infinitive as an adverbial modifier.
• (a) The infinitive can be an adverbial modifier of
purpose.
Laws were not made to be broken, laws were made
to stay within.— Законы были созданы не для
того, чтобы их нарушать, а для того, чтобы им
подчиняться.
• (b)The infinitive can be used as an adverbial
modifier of result. This chiefly occurs after
adjectives modified by the adverbs enough and too.
I was too busy to see anyone.— Я был так занят, что
не мог ни с кем встречаться.
• (c)The infinitive can be an adverbial modifier of
comparison (manner); it is introduced by the
conjunction as if or as though.
She nervously moved her hand towards his lips as if to
stop him... (Dickens) — Она нервно протянула
руку к его губам, как будто хотела остановить его.
• (d)The infinitive can be used as an adverbial
modifier of attendant circumstances.
I am sorry to have raised your expectations, Mr. Blake,
only to disappoint them.— Мне очень жаль, что я
пробудил в вас надежду, мистер Блейк, только
для того, чтобы затем отнять ее.
• 8. The infinitive as parenthesis.
Well, to cut a long story short, they thought….
• То put it mildly, he was not up to the mark. —
• То speak the truth, I have been a little troubled,
but it is over.
 Infinitive constructions

–the Objective-with-the-Infinitive
Construction;
–the Subjective Infinitive
Construction;
–the for-to-Infinitive Construction.
 the Objective-with-the-Infinitive
Construction
• In the sentence this construction has the function of a
complex object.
• In translating the Objective-with-the-Infinitive
Construction into Russian we nearly always use a
subordinate clause.

He's a wonderful teacher and I've never seen him lose his
temper or get angry about anything. (Wilson) — Он
замечательный учитель, и я никогда не видел, чтобы
он вышел из себя или рассердился из-за чего-нибудь.
 THE USE OF THE OBJECTIVE-WITH-THE-INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION

• after verbs denoting sense perception, such as to hear,

to see, to watch, to feel, to observey to notice, etc.
I haven't heard anyone call me. (Wilde) — Я не слышал,
чтобы кто-нибудь меня звал.
I saw Brown enter the room. (Braine) — Я видел, как
Браун вошел в комнату.
N.B. After the verbs to see and to notice the Objective-
with-the-Infinitive Construction is not used with the
verb to be; a subordinate clause is used in such cases.
I saw that he was pale.
• after verbs denoting mental activity, such as to know, to
think, to consider, to believe, to suppose, to expect, to
imagine, to find, to feel, to trust, etc.

The use of this construction after most verbs of mental

activity is more characteristic of literary than of
colloquial style.

I know you to be the most honest, spotless creature that

ever lived. (Hardy) — Я знаю, что вы самое честное и
безупречное существо из всех, когда-либо живших на
свете.
I believe him to have no conscience at all. (Hardy) — Я
считаю, что у него совершенно нет совести.
• after verbs of declaring: to pronounce, to declare, to report.
The surgeon pronounced the wound to be a slight one. — Врач
сказал, что рана легкая.

• after verbs denoting wish and intention: to want, to wish, to

desire, to mean, to intend, to choose (in the meaning
of'хотеть').
I want you to come and dine with me. (Dickens) — Я хочу, чтобы
вы пришли пообедать со мной.
I did not mean you to learn the poem by heart. — Я не имел в
виду, чтобы вы выучили стихотворение наизусть.

• After verbs and expressions denoting feeling and emotion: to

like, to dislike, to love, to hate, cannot bear; etc.
I dislike you to talk like that. — Я не люблю, когда вы так
говорите.
• after verbs denoting order and permission: to order; to
allow, to have, etc
She... had never allowed the name of John Gordon to pass
her lips.— Она никогда не позволяла себе произносить
имя Джона Гордона

• after verbs denoting compulsion: to make (in the

meaning of'заставить')' to cause (in the meaning
of'заставить', 'распорядиться'), to get (in the meaning
of'добиться'), to have (in the meaning of'заставить:
сказать чтобы').
Light steps in the gravel made him turn his head. (London)
— Легкие шаги по гравию заставили его повернуть
голову.
 The Subjective Infinitive Construction.

• The construction does not serve as one part of

the sentence: one of its component parts has
the function of the subject, the other forms
part of a compound verbal predicate.
• Edith is said to resemble me. (Dickens) —
Говорят, что Эдит похожа на меня.
 THE USE OF THE SUBJECTIVE INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTION

The Construction is used with the following groups of verbs in

the Passive Voice:
• With verbs denoting sense perception: to see, to hear, etc.
Mr. Bob Sawyer was heard to laugh heartily. Слышно было,
как весело смеется Боб Сойер.
The rider was seen to disappear in the distance. — Видно
было, как всадник скрылся вдали.
• With verbs denoting mental activity: to think, to consider; to
know, to expect, to believe, to suppose.
He was thought to be honest and kindly. (Dreiser) — Его счи­
тали честным и добрым человеком.
My father... was considered by many to be a great man
 • With the verbs to say and to report.
This is said to be the mark of a weak character.—как
говорят, это является признаком слабости характера
After verbs in the Passive Voice the Subjective Infinitive
Construction is more characteristic of literary than of
colloquial style, except with the verbs to suppose, to
expect, to make; with these verbs the Subjective
Infinitive can be found both in fiction and in colloquial
language.
• with the word-groups to be likely, to be sure, and
to be certain.
But he is sure to marry her. (Hardy) — Но он
бесспорно (не­сомненно) женится на ней.
• with the following pairs of synonyms: to seem
and to appear; to happen, to prove and to turn
out.
They seemed to have quite forgotten him already.
(Hardy) — Они, казалось (по-видимому), уже
совершенно забыли его.
Her eyes appeared always to gaze beyond, and far
beyond. (E. Bronte) — Ее глаза, казалось, всегда
были устремлены куда-то далеко-далеко.
The experiment proved to be a failure. (Collins) —
Опыт оказался неудачным.
 The fог-to-Infinitive Construction
• In this construction the infinitive is in relation
to a noun or pronoun preceded by the
preposition for. In translating this construction
into Russian a subordinate clause or an
infinitive is used.
 
 
 The functions of The fог-to-Infinitive
Construction
• Subject (often with the introductory it)
For me to ask would be treason, and for me to be told would be treason.
— Если бы я спросила, это было бы предательством; если бы мне
сказали, это было бы преда­тельством.
I sometimes think it is a shame for people to spend so much money this
way.— Я часто думаю, что стыдно людям тратить на это так много
денег.
• Predicative
That was for him to find out. (Eliot) — Выяснить это должен был он.

• Complex object.
He waited for her to speak. (Hardy) — Он ждал, когда она заговорит.
Не asked for the papers to be brought. — Он попросил при­нести бумаги.
 • Attribute.
The best thing for you to do is to wait here.— Самое лучшее, что вы можете
сделать, — это подождать здесь.
There was really nothing for him to do but what he had done.— Ему
действительно ничего не оставалось делать, кроме того, что он сделал
(единственное, что ему оставалось сделать, было то, что он сделал).
There's nobody here for him to play with.— Здесь нет никого, с кем он мог
бы поиграть.
• Adverbial modifier:
• (a)of purpose.
Не stepped aside for me to pass.— Он отошел, в сторону, чтобы я могла
пройти.
• (b)of result.
The pleasure of accompanying you was too great a temptation for me to resist.
— Удовольствие сопровождать вас было так велико, что я не мог ему
противиться.
Не spoke loud enough for you to hear. — Он говорил достаточно громко,
чтобы вы могли его слышать.