Verbals

Verbals are the forms of the verb intermediary in many of their lexico-grammatical features between the verb and non-processual parts of speech.

Infinitive is the non-finite form of the verb that names the action in its most general sense, without reference to any doer.

Participle is the non-finite form of the verb which is used either (a) as part of a tense and as such preceded by an auxiliary verb be or have, or (&) as an adjective to qualify some noun or pronoun.

Gerund is the non-finite form of the verb that possess the characteristics of noun and verb, - (1) a noun in so far as it can be in the Nominative or Accusative case; (2) a verb in so far as it expresses Present or Past tense, - is in the Active or Passive voice, and (if Transitive) is followed by an object.

The parsing of Infinitives

How to parse Infinitives. – To parse an Infinitive you have to show two different types of concerning it: - (a) Of what form it is, - whether Indefinite, as to see; or Continuous, as to be seeing; or Perfect, as to have seen; or Perfect-Continuous, as to have been seeing. (b) Of what voice it is, - whether Active, or Passive; (c) What is its use. – whether it is used as a Noun-Infinitive or as a Qualifying Infinitive. (d) In what function it is, - whether in the function of subject (To skate is pleasant), compound nominal predicate (Our plan is to go to the Crimea for the summer), compound verbal predicate (I hope to see him soon), direct object (I told him to go there), attribute (I have no desire to go there), adverbial modifier of purpose (He worked hard not to lag behind the other students) and adverbial modifier of result (It is too cold to bathe today).

The Noun-Infinitive. In this capacity the Infinitive does the work of – (a) Subject to a verb, (b) Object to a verb, (c) Complement to a verb, (d) Object to a preposition. Since it does the work of a noun, it is very fitly called the Noun-Infinitive.

1. Subject to a verb: - To sleep is necessary to health. To work hard is the way to success.

2. Object to a verb: - No desire to improve.

3. Complement to a verb: - I saw him come. I ordered him to go. (Note. The “to” is not used after the hear, see, feel, make, let, bid, behold, know, to all of which the Infinitive is used as complement.)

4. Object to a preposition: - 1) He did nothing but laugh. 2) My plans are about to succeed. In (1) the Infinitive laugh is the object of the preposition but. In (2) the Infinitive to succeed (= success) is the object of the preposition about which signifies nearness or contiguity in time, place, or other circumstance.

The Qualifying Infinitive – In this capacity the Infinitive does the work of (a) an adverb to a verb, (b) an adverb to an adjective, (c) an adjective to a noun, (d) a participle to a noun or pronoun in a future sense.

1. Adverb to a verb: - 1) He came to see the sport. 2) It came to pass. In (1) to see qualifies the verb “came”, as if it were an adverb. Here the Infinitive denotes a purpose: He came for the purpose of seeing the sport. In (2) to pass expresses not a purpose, but a result.

2. Adverb to an adjective: - 1) Quick to hear and slow to speak. Here to hear qualifies the adjective “quick”, and to speak qualifies “slow”, the Infinitive therefore does the work of an adverb. “Quick for hearing and slow for speaking.”

3. Adjective to a noun (either as an epithet or predicatively): - 1) A house to let. 2) This house is to let. Here to let qualifies the noun “house” as an epithet in first example, and predicatively in the second. In each case, therefore, it does the work of an adjective.

4. Participle to a noun or a pronoun in a future sense; where this use of the Infinitive is explained. 1) He intended to have seen you today. 2) I came to see you, but you did not appear. “To have seen” in (1) – Perfect in form, noun in function, object to the Transitive verb “intended”. “To see” in (2) – Indefinite in form, adjective in function, qualifying the verb “came”. “Appear” in (2) – Indefinite in form, noun in function, object to the verb “did”.