5. Verbs and expressions used in the predicate of sentences containing the Subjective Infinitive Construction (Nominative-with-the-Infinitive

Construction).

e.g. The workers are believed to be on strike. You seem to be having difficulty with your left hand.

The compound verbal aspect predicate

It expresses the beginning, repetition, duration, or cessation of the action expressed by the non-finite form of the verb. It consists of such verbs as

to begin, to start, to commence

to fall

to set about + Infinitive / Gerund

to keep on, to go on, to proceed

to stop, to give up, to finish, to cease

to come

would / used to + Infinitive (to denote a repeated action in the past)

e.g. His bones ceased to ache. I used to write poetry when I was his age.

Mixed types of predicate

Such predicates contain three components.

1. The compound modal nominal predicate.

e.g. Don’t think I mean to be unkind.

2. The compound aspect nominal predicate.

e.g. The grey house had ceased to be a house for family life.

3. The compound modal aspect predicate.

e.g. I had to begin living all over again.