Учебное пособие 1583

(остается) сделать.

(3) The predicate verb followed by the infinitive of result is sometimes transformed into two homogeneous predicates (the English infinitive becoming the second predicate in the corresponding Russian sentence) or into coordinate clauses.

(4) The complex object with the infinitive is rendered either by a similar construction in Russian (i.e. by a noun/ pronoun in the accusative with the infinitive) or by an object clause.

(5) The complex subject with the infinitive is rendered by a clause in Russian introduced by the words сообщают (как сообщают), говорят, ожидают (ожидается), etc.

The spaceship is reported to have reached the Moon. Со-

общают, что космический корабль достиг лунной поверхности.

Exercise 20. State the form and function of the infinitive. Translate the sentences into Russian.

A. 1. To go on with the discussion is to waste time. 2. Oh, I‘m sorry to have taken so much of your time. 3. It all sounds too good to be true. 4. We assembled to discuss and arrange our plans. 5. Now, the first thing to settle is what to take with us. 6. We made a list of things to be taken. 7. George suggested eggs and bacon, which were easy to cook. 8. That‘s Harris all over – so ready to take the burden of everything himself, and put it on the back of other people. 9. Harris said he felt such extraordinary fits of giddiness come over him at times, that he hardly knew what he was doing. 10.

I don‘t think I ever remember to have seen Mousley Lock before, with only one boat in it. 11. A celebration such as this was a chance not to be missed. 12. They waited in silence for their dinner to be served. 13. After the third lesson I left his class never to return. 14.

Look back to make sure you haven‘t left anything behind. 15. In leaving the compartment she looked back to see she had left the parcel on the berth. 16. The captain ordered the passengers to be shown their cabins. 17. I like a story to have a beginning, a middle and an end. 18. Love is said to be blind. But the statement seems to be completely wrong. For some fellows in love appear to see more virtues in their sweethearts than any other people are ever likely to see. 19. ―It‘s time to go to bed, baby.‖ ―Why, mummy! You always make me go to bed when I don‘t want to sleep, and you want me to get up when I am quite sleepy.‖ 20. ―You‘re a bachelor with no family to take care of. You have only yourself to please.‖ ―So far you are right, but don‘t imagine it‘s an easy task to perform.‖ ―I don‘t see what you mean.‖ ―I mean I‘m a person hard to please.‖

B. 1. This is the lesson to be learnt from a study of history. 2. To abolish war is a problem that man has got to solve. 3. The bill to be put before the House is to be published and considered at the first reading. 4. The enemy was reported to have suffered heavy losses in manpower and material. 5. Volcanoes are said to be active when eruptions occur frequently. 6. Then Falcon Island was reported to be missing again. 7. All the attempts to confirm this suggestion have failed. 8. It often occurs that things turn out to be different from what they at first appear to be. 9. The very possibility of communication through a language depends on the lexical and grammatical conventions to be accepted by all speakers of the language. 10. To translate a sentence is to discover its meaning and then construct a sentence in the target language that possesses the same meaning. 11. To tell the truth, it is impossible from the comparison of two versions to determine which was the original and which the translation. 12. It is quite possible for an educated person to speak with a very marked provincial accent and yet to write perfectly good English. 13. There are many modern marvels to match the wonders of the ancient world. 14. The traditional role of science is to make people healthy and the world brighter to live in. 15. A scientist is supposed to be able to read modern science and is expected to know the latest work on his own speciality. 16. Scientists consider this effect to be the result of an experimental error. 17. It‘s still too early to speak about the efficiency of this method. 18. This assumption was faulty, to begin with. 19. This theory was found to have disagreed with practice. 20. He would have been the last to claim to have solved the problem. 21. To begin with, all maps must have a clear indication of direction and scale. 22. Power enables work to be performed without great physical labour. 23. The Sun is the first object to be studies by rocket astronomy. 24. To complete a journey round the sun requires nearly 29 1/2 years. 25. Newton made use of three laws of motion to explain the movement of the moon around the earth and of the planets around the sun. 26. This new planet is too small and faint to be observed even in the most powerful telescope. 27. To encourage

research work, the degree of Bachelor of Science was set up in Oxford in 1895. 28. The aim of the book exhibition is to exchange experience and to display the finest editions.

THE GERUND FORMS

The gerund has the grammatical categories of relative tense and voice, but has no aspect forms.

The forms of the gerund in Modern English are as follows;

The tense distinctions of the gerund are relative, i.e. the nonperfect gerund denotes an action

simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb, while the perfect gerund denotes an action

prior to that of the finite verb.

his doing it so quickly. I am surprised at his having done it so

quickly.

как быстро он это делает. Меня удивило то, как быстро он это сделал.

.

However, the non-perfect gerund is often used even when the

meaning is past. Thus we can say:

He was accused of deserting his ship. О г : He was accused of having deserted his ship.

This is often the case when it follows the prepositions оn, after and without.

On arriving at the hotel I was given a message. After eating he felt better. He left without paying the bill.

The non-perfect gerund is also often used after the verbs remember, excuse, thank and forgive.

I remember meeting her at a party. Thank you for asking me to come. You must excuse

my not answering you earlier.

To sum it up, the non-perfect form of the gerund is preferred to the perfect form in spoken English

if there is no ambiguity.

The voice distinctions of the gerund are expressed by its active and passive forms.

I hate lying: I won‘t stand being lied to. I remember being taken to Paris when a small boy.

The dish showed no signs of having been touched. After having been interviewed he was offered the job.

It should be noted that the passive gerund is not much used. Sometimes it is replaced by the active gerund even when the meaning is passive; it occurs after the verbs want, need, require, deserve and the adjective worth.

My watch needs repairing. The film is worth seeing.

MEANING AND FUNCTIONS

Like any other verbal, the gerund is dual by its nature: it combines the characteristics of the verb with those of the noun. However, the verbal characteristics of the gerund are less obvious than those of the infinitive:

(a)the gerund does not express the category of aspect, while the infinitive does;

(b)the gerund presents an action in a more general sense than the infinitive; it actually names a process, like a verbal noun;

methods of teaching — Seeing is believing.

On the other hand, the nominal characteristics of the gerund are more obvious than those of the infinitive:

(a)unlike the infinitive, the gerund is often preceded by a preposition; this is one of the most characteristic nominal properties of the gerund;

(b)like the noun, the gerund can be modified by a noun in the possessive or by a possessive pronoun.

The nominal characteristics of the gerund are also expressed in its functions which are the following: subject, object, predicative, attribute and adverbial modifier.

Complaining will not help matters. Most boys like playing football. Her fault is idling her time away. The art of dancing is an ancient one. The driver was fined for exceeding the speed limit. He answered me without raising his head.

(1) The gerund as subject

Either infinitive or gerund can be the subject of a sentence when an action is being considered in a general sense, i.e. we can say:

It is easier to read French than to speak it. О г : Reading

French is easier than speaking it.

The gerund usually implies that the speaker or person addressed has had personal experience of the action, having performed it himself probably more than once, i.e. in the second of the above examples we get the impression that the speaker can, or has tried to read and speak French while the speaker in the first example may only be expressing an opinion or theory.

Similarly in the sentences: ―It requires patience to look after children‖ and ―Looking after children requires patience‖ the second implies that the speaker has looked after children.

The gerund can also imply that the action is being considered as a habit. ―Talking only of oneself is a sign of bad manners‖ and ―It is a sign of bad manners to talk only of oneself‖ are both correct, but the first emphasizes the idea of habit.

The gerund as subject may also stand in apposition to the anticipatory it and may sometimes be used as the real subject after the construction there is:

It‘s no use waiting. There won‘t be another bus. It‘s foolish arguing over trifles. There is no pleasing some people. There is no knowing what may happen.

(2) The gerund as object

Unlike the infinitive, the gerund may be used as both a direct and a prepositional object.

There are a number of verbs which can take either an infinitive or a gerund as a direct object, but usually there is a slight difference of meaning. The infinitive refers to a specific occasion of a specific instance, whereas the gerund refers to something that is more general.

We prefer to go by air (on a particular journey). — We prefer going by air (a general preference). I do not like to argue over trifles (myself). — I don‘t like arguing over trifles (either myself or when somebody else does it).

With the phrase be afraid (of) the infinitive denotes the action that fear prevents one from doing.

The child was afraid to stroke the dog. The old lady was afraid to cross the road.

The gerund denotes a possible consequence that causes the

fear.

The child was afraid of being bitten by a dog. The old lady was afraid of being knocked down by a car.

Either gerund or infinitive can be used without any difference after the following verbs: attempt, begin, start, intend and propose.

But verbs of knowing and understanding are better in the infinitive. Thus we can say: ―I began working.‖ Оr: ― I began to work.‖ But: ― I began to understand‖ (no alternative).

After like, love, hate, remember, regret and prefer the gerund is usually used for habits and past actions, and the infinitive for future and conditional actions:

I like climbing. (habit) — I should like to climb the top of this mountain.

I like riding but my brother prefers walking. (habit)

I prefer riding to walking.—Would you like to go by sea or by air? I‘d prefer to go by sea.

I hate getting up early.— I‘d hate to spend the night alone in the woods.

I remember seeing it on the notice-board. (past) — I must remember to post the letter. (future)

I regret going there. (past) — I regret to say that there is no

wine.

After allow, permit and advise the infinitive is used if there is an indirect personal object, otherwise the gerund is used. ―I allow

him to smoke‖, but: ―I allow smoking.‖

The expressions it needs, it requires, it wants, where it refers to a thing, are normally followed by a gerund or a passive infinitive, the gerund being the more usual.

My hair needs cutting. О г: It needs to be cut.

However, there are verbs which always take the gerund as an object.

Only the gerund is used as a direct object after the following verbs and verb-adverb groups: avoid, burst out, deny, dislike, enjoy, excuse, finish, forgive, give up, go on, imagine, keep (continue), keep on, mind (in negative and interrogative sentences), postpone, prevent, risk, stop, suggest.

Avoid mentioning it in her presence. He denied having been there. Give up smoking, if you don‘t want to ruin your health. Keep moving, otherwise you‘ll get frozen. She didn‘t risk going on the expedition. I don‘t mind walking to the station. Would you mind waiting a moment?

Note 1. Stop meaning ―cease‖ must be followed by the gerund, but stop meaning ―halt‖ can be followed bу an infinitive of purpose.

Stop talking!

I stopped to speak to her.

Note 2. Go on may be followed by an infinitive as well as by a gerund but the meaning is different.

He went on telling us about his us about his schooldays. He went on to tell us about his schooldays.

The first means that he had been telling us about his schooldays before, and he continued to do so. The second means

that he had been telling us about something else previously, and then, when he had finished that, he continued talking, but on a new subject, his schooldays. So the second case is an infinitive of purpose.

The gerund is also used after the expressions can’t help and can’t stand.

I couldn't help being late. My train was delayed by fog. I can‘t stand being fooled down.

The gerund is used as a prepositional object after the following verbs and verb groups: accuse of, agree to, aim at, approve of, charge with, complain of, depend on, feel like, give up the idea of, insist on, look like, look forward to, miss the chance, the opportunity of, not to like the idea of, object to, persist in, prevent from, rely on, speak of, succeed in, suspect of, thank for, think of.

Do you feel like having a cup of coffee? I think of moving to another flat. We look forward to meeting you soon. He was charged with breaking a shop window.

The gerund is also used as a prepositional object after the following phrases consisting of to be + adjective or participle II: be accustomed to, be aware of, be capable of, be engaged in, be fond of, be good at, be guilty of, be indignant at, be interested in, be pleased (displeased) at, be proud of, be responsible for, be suitable for, be sure of, be surprised (astonished) at, be tired of, be used to.

She is not capable of doing the work. Are you interested in collecting coins? Who is responsible for cooking in your party? We are all tired of listening to his complaints. I am not accustomed to sleeping during the day.

(3) The gerund as attribute

Unlike the infinitive, the gerund as attribute is always pre-