The Category of Correlation

The category of correlation finds its expression in the opposition of non-perfect and perfect forms.

The perfect infinitive always denotes an action preceding some moment of time in the present, past or future:

I am glad

I was glad to have seen you again.

I shall be glad

The Category of Aspect

The category of aspect finds its expression in the opposition of in contrasting forms of the common aspect and the continuous aspect. The difference between the category of aspect in finite verb forms and in the infinitive is that in the infinitive it is expressed only in the active voice:

to speak – to be speaking

to have spoken – to have been speaking

The passive voice has practically no aspect opposition.

The semantics of the category of aspect in the infinitive is the same as in the finite verb: the continuous aspect forms denote an action in progress at some moment of time in the present, past or future.

The two aspects differ in their frequency and functioning; the continuous aspect forms are very seldom used, and cannot perform all the functions in which the common aspect forms are used. They can function only as:

1. subject (To be staying with them was a real pleasure.);

2. object (I was glad to be walking.);

3. attribute (It’s time to be leaving.);

4. part of a common verbal predicate (Now we must be getting back, or The leaves begin to be growing yellowish.)

The continuous aspect forms do not occur in the function of adverbial modifier.

The Category of Voice

The infinitive of transitive verbs has the category of voice, similar to all other verb forms:

to speak- to be spoken

to have spoken-to have been spoken

The difference between the category of voice in finite verb forms and in the infinitive is that in the infinitive it is found only in the common aspect forms.

The active infinitive points out that the action is directed from the subject (either expressed or implied), the passive infinitive indicates that the action is directed to the subject:

Active

He expected to find them very soon.

She was born to love.

I know I ought to have told you everything long ago.

Passive

They expected to be found by night fall.

She is born to be loved.

She ought to have been told of what had actually happened. However, there are cases where the active form of the non-perfect infinitive denotes an action directed towards the subject, that is although active in form it is passive in meaning:

He is to blame.

The house is to let.

The question is difficult to answer.

There was only one thing to do.

The active infinitive thus used is called retroactive. The retroactive infinitive is rather productive although in nearly all cases it can be replaced by the corresponding passive form:

He is to blame. – He is to be blamed.

There was only one thing to do. There was only one thing to be done.