- •Alexandrova t.A., Fenova e.A.
- •Verbals. Oblique Moods. Modal Verbs.
- •Рецензенты:
- •Предисловие
- •The Infinitive
- •The infinitive as a non-finite form of the verb.
- •The morphological characteristics of the infinitive.
- •1.2.1. Aspect and voice distinctions of the infinitive do not differ from those of the finite verb.
- •The particle "to" before the infinitive
- •1.3.1. The split infinitive
- •1.4.3. The infinitive is used as an object to verbs expressing:
- •1.4.4. The infinitive used as an attribute immediately follows its head-noun.
- •1.4.5. The infinitive can be used as an adverbial modifier.
- •1.4.5.1. An adverbial modifier of purpose:
- •1.4.5.2. An adverbial modifier of result or consequence:
- •1.4.5.3. An adverbial modifier of subsequent events:
- •Predicative constructions (complexes) with the infinitive
- •1.6.1. The Accusative with the Infinitive
- •1.6.2. The Nominative with the Infinitive
- •1.6.3. The Infinitive For-Phrase
- •Exercises
- •Without the anticipatory it
- •With the anticipatory it
- •Predicative Constructions (Complexes) with the Infinitive
- •Revision Exercises
- •Participle I
- •2.1. The morphological characteristics.
- •2.2. The temporal meaning of participle I.
- •2.3. The functions of participle I.
- •2.3.1. An attribute
- •The Accusative with participle I (complex object)
- •The nominative with participle I (complex subject)
- •The nominative absolute construction with participle I
- •The absolute construction with participle I introduced by "with". The absolute construction without participle I.
- •3.4. The functions of participle II.
- •3.4.1. An attribute
- •3.4.2. A predicative
- •3.5.6. The prepositional absolute construction.
- •Exercises
- •Predicative constructions (complexes) with participle II.
- •The Gerund
- •The morphological characteristics.
- •The temporal meaning of the gerund.
- •4.8. Some prepositional verbs and phrases used with the gerund.
- •Exercises
- •Gerundial complexes (constructions)
- •The gerund and the infinitive
- •The gerund, participle I, the verbal noun
- •Revision exercises on participle and gerund.
- •5.1.5. Subjunctive I and the suppositional mood represent an action as problematic but not as contradicting reality.
- •5.2.5. The tenses within the sentence need not be the same; the rules of the sequence of tenses are not observed with any of the oblique moods forms.
- •5.3. Aspect and voice distinctions.
- •5.4.2.3. To express advice (a) and preference (b) (subjunctive II in the set phrases had better and would rather):
- •5.4.3. The conditional mood is used in simple sentences
- •5.4.3.1. With implied condition:
- •5.5.1.2.2. It is necessary to point out that when the verb in the object clause is affirmative in English, it is negative in Russian and vice versa.
- •5.5.1.2.3. To express a hardly realizable wish the present tense of subjunctive II of a modal verb may be used in these object clauses.
- •5.5.1.3. Both tenses of subjunctive II are used in adverbial clauses of comparison. The tenses are used relatively.
- •5.5.1.3.1. The same rules hold good for predicative clauses introduced by as if and as though.
- •5.5.2. Subjunctive II and the conditional mood in complex sentences.
- •5.5.2.1. In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of unreal condition subjunctive II is used in the clause of condition and the conditional mood is used in the principal clause.
- •5.5.2.1.2. Three forms are used in clauses of condition with reference to the future (for details see 5.5.3.4.):
- •5.5.2.2. In a complex sentence with a subordinate clause of concession the choice of the mood form depends on the conjunction which introduces the subordinate clause.
- •5.5.3.2.1. The same rules hold good for appositive (a) and predicative (b) clauses after nouns expressing order, suggestion, wish, agreement, etc.:
- •5.5.3.4. The suppositional mood is used in adverbial clauses of condition with reference to the future.
- •5.5.3.5. The suppositional mood and subjunctive I may be used in adverbial clauses of concession.
- •5.5.3.5.1. The suppositional mood is used with reference to the future.
- •5.5.3.5.2. Subjunctive I is used in clauses of concession introduced by though, although, whoever, etc.
- •5.5.3.5.3. The indicative mood of the modal verb may is often used in clauses of concession introduced by though, whoever, however, etc.
- •The Use of Moods in Simple Sentences and Independent Clauses
- •The Use of Moods in Complex Sentences Subjunctive II in Complex Sentences
- •Subjunctive II and the Conditional Mood in Complex Sentences
- •The Suppositional Mood and Subjunctive in Complex Sentences
- •Revision Exercises
- •6.3.6. Incredulity (in negative sentences)
- •Revision exercises on can and may
- •Exercises
- •Exercises
- •Should, ought (to)
- •6.8. In most of their meanings these verbs are used interchangeably. They express the following:
- •6.8.1. Advice, obligation, desirability
- •6.8.4. Supposition bordering on assurance; something that can be naturally expected
- •6.8.5. Why should, how should are to be considered set phrases used for emotional colouring:
- •Exercises.
- •6.11. Need can be used as a modal or as a regular verb. It has the following meanings:
- •6.11.2. Necessity (in negative and interrogative sentences)
- •6.11.4. To be in want of is expressed by the regular need
- •Exercises
- •Revision exercises on modal verbs
- •Literature
- •I. Theoretical sourses
- •II.Fiction and periodicals
- •III. Dictionaries
- •Abbreviations
- •Сontents
- •Александрова т.А., Фенова е.А.
The Infinitive
The infinitive as a non-finite form of the verb.
The infinitive was originally a verbal noun, but in the course of its development it has acquired some characteristics of the verb. That is why this non-finite form of the verb has both noun- and verb-characteristics.
The nominal character of the infinitive is manifested in its syntactical functions: like the noun, the infinitive may be used in the sentence as subject and as object.
Like the finite forms of the verb, the infinitive has aspect, tense and voice forms, can take a direct object and be modified by an adverb. These are the verb-features of the infinitive.
The morphological characteristics of the infinitive.
The infinitive distinguishes tense, aspect, voice. It has the following forms:
Infinitive |
Active |
Passive |
Indefinite |
to do |
to be done |
Continuous |
to be doing |
– |
Perfect |
to have done |
to have been done |
Perfect Continuous |
to have been doing |
– |
1.2.1. Aspect and voice distinctions of the infinitive do not differ from those of the finite verb.
1.2.2. Tense distinctions of the infinitive are relative. The indefinite and the perfect forms of the infinitive are tense forms. These tenses differ from the tenses of the finite verbs, which show the time of the action. The tenses of the infinitive show simultaneousness or priority, i.e. they express time relatively.
The indefinite forms show that the action of the infinitive either takes place at the same time with the action of the finite verb or after it. They may express simultaneousness in the present, past or future time.
I am pleased to meet you.
I heard him cough.
Bring me a chair to sit on.
I brought a chair for you to sit on.
The perfect forms show that the action of the infinitive takes place before the action of the finite verb. They may express priority in the present, past or future time.
He seems to have lost weight.
I was sorry to have missed the match.
You will be sorry to have missed the performance.
Two people are reported to have been injured in the explosion.
The perfect infinitive following a modal verb may express doubt, supposition, near certainty about an action in the past or criticism of a past action.
He may have been at home yesterday.
He must have been working late.
You oughtn't to have started smoking.
The perfect infinitive following the past tense of the verbs to be (when used as a modal equivalent), to mean, to hope, to intend, to expect, (would) like shows that the action considered desirable or planned was not carried out:
I was to have seen Mr Kay tomorrow but the appointment has been cancelled.
They hoped to have won the match.
I expected to have left the office much earlier.
The indefinite infinitive in this case leaves the question open as to whether the plan or intention was fulfilled.
He was to come at 3.
They hoped to win the match.
The particle "to" before the infinitive
The infinitive is usually preceded by the particle to:
English is a difficult language to learn well.
Why did you go out? – To post a letter.
The infinitive is used without to:
1. After the auxiliary or modal (defective) verbs shall, will, do, should, may, can, must, dare, need:
You shall have a car for your birthday.
I suggested that they should drive along the coast.
You shouldn't have parked there.
We really must do something about the weeds in the garden.
I needn't have gone to the office yesterday.
2. After some verbs of perception: to hear, see, watch, observe, perceive, notice, feel:
The crowd watched the firemen climb the ladder, break a window on the first floor, and enter the building.
Liz suddenly felt something touch her on the shoulder.
Note 1. If the verb to feel expresses not physical but mental perception, the infinitive is used with to:
I felt this to be true.
Note 2. In the passive, verbs of perception are followed by the infinitive with to:
They were seen to climb through the window.
3. After the verbs to let (=allow), to make (= compel, force, cause), to have (=compel, cause, persuade, arrange):
The customs officer made Sally open her case.
That beard makes you look much older that you are.
Have the next patient come in now please, nurse.
Note 1. In the passive, the verb to make is followed by the infinitive with to:
Sally was made to open her case.
Note 2. Unlike let, make and have, the verbs to allow, to get (=compel, cause, persuade, arrange) and to tell (=allow, cause) are followed by the infinitive with to:
Nothing else but a major disaster will get us to realize that we can't go on destroying the forests of the world.
4. After the verbs to know (=experience, observe) and to have (=experience) in the perfect form:
I've never had such a thing happen to me before.
Note. The particle to is also possible after the verb to know in this form and meaning, and the use of a to-infinitive is more formal. In the passive, to is obligatory.
I've never known her to be late before.
He was known to have a quick temper as a boy.
5. After the verb to help the infinitive may be used with or without to. The use of a to-infinitive is more formal:
All this arguing isn't going to help us (to) win the election.
6. After the following expressions: had better, had best (less common than had better), would rather (… than), would sooner (… than), would have, need scarcely (only, hardly):
You'd better not to go near the edge.
Would you rather have tea or coffee? – Coffee, please.
I need hardly remind you that people will judge the school by the way you behave.
7. After but, except, rather than, sooner than used as conjunctions and after can (not) but, does nothing but:
This is a computer that can do everything except talk.
She does nothing but grumble.
8. After to do + to be the use of the particle to is optional:
All I did was (to) press this button.
9. The particle to is usually dropped before the second infinitive if the infinitives are joined by and, but, except, or and than:
Which would you prefer: to win a million pounds or (to) have a brain like Einstein's?
Where the second infinitive follows on closely from the first, it is normal to omit to before the second infinitive:
I'd like to lie down and go to sleep.
Note. To avoid repetition, we can often leave the verb out after to:
You don't have to eat it if you don't want to.
10. After Why? And Why not? in questions:
You're fully insured, so why worry?
Why not wait till the winter sales to buy a new coat?