Неличные формы глагола (Practical tasks)

6. They didn’t expect … to deal with one of the best companies of oil production. 7. He asked me about such … an extensive research program. 8. I saw … her tears as she said goodbye. She was obviously downcast. 9. On … the new appointment, the chairman closed up and refused to talk about the matter. 10. We completely forgot about … with

а train. For some reason we waited for you at the airport.

Exercise 12. Complete the following sentences using gerundial

complexes:

1. The thought … makes him tremble with fear. 2. I had no objection …. 3. … provoked curiosity of the surrounding people. 4. This book contains many suggestions and practical methods for …. 5. The family was overtaken by …. 6. You didn’t mind … at that time. Why on earth did you change your point of view? 7. … seemed to us to be suspicious. And we were in the right about it. 8. I can’t find a reason for

…. 9. Is there any use …? 10. An idea of … suddenly struck me.

Exercise 13. Translate the following sentences into English using gerundial complexes:

1.При допросе он не отрицал свою причастность к этому делу.

2.Вы не слышали о ее намерении уйти в отставку? 3. Ты можешь представить его президентом? 4. Они яростно возражали против того, чтобы Сару выбрали капитаном команды. 5. Почему он все

время меня прерывает, хотя я несколько раз просил его этого не делать? 6. Трудно поверить, что он вообще на ком-либо женится. 7.

Она никак не среагировала даже на то, что я извинилась перед ней. 8. Верховный Совет сделал депутату замечание по поводу его грубых слов в адрес министра. 9. Я помню, как мы поехали на каникулы в деревню к бабушке, и каждый день спали на печи. 10. Я не могу представить себе, что она может пойти на вечеринку без приглашения.

The Gerund and the Infinitive Compared

The gerund and the infinitive have much in common since they both have some nominal and some verbal features. However, in the infinitive the verbal nature is more prominent, whereas in the gerund the nominal one.

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The basic difference in their meaning is that the gerund is more general, whereas the infinitive is more specific and more bound to some particular occasion. When they combine with the same verb the difference in their meaning and use should be fully realized.

1. With the verbs to like, to dislike, to enjoy, to love, to hate, to prefer the gerund expresses a more general or a habitual action, the

2. With the verbs to begin and to start either form may generally be used, but again the gerund is preferable when the action is more general: She began singing when a child. She went over the piano and began

to sing.

No gerund is used:

a) when the finite verb is in the continuous form:

e.g. He is beginning to study French.

It’s beginning to rain.

b)with the verbs to understand and to see (meaning to understand):

e.g. He began to understand how it was done.

c)when the subject denotes a thing, not a living being:

e.g. The doors began to creak. The clock began to strike.

3. The verb to remember is followed by a gerund when it means a prior action (to recall, to keep in one’s memory some past event), and by an infinitive when it means a simultaneous action (the working of one’s

memory). The same refers to the verb to forget:

4. The verb to regret is followed by the gerund to suggest priority, whereas the infinitive suggests a simultaneous action:

5. a) after the verb to stop the gerund is used when it suggests the end of the action denoted by the gerund, whereas the infinitive is used as

continuation of the action denoted by the gerund and forms part of a compound verbal predicate; an infinitive points out a new stage in the sequence of actions:

6. The verb to try is used with the gerund when it means doing something as an experiment or test, whereas the infinitive suggests making an attempt or an effort to do something:

Compare:

I didn’t like the way the furniture I tried to move the table but it was was arranged, so I tried moving too heavy. (so I couldn’t move it)

the table to the other side of the room. Bit it still didn’t look right,

so I moved it back again.

7. The verb to need is followed by a gerund when it means that something needs to be done, and by an infinitive when it means that it is

Note: If two infinitives are joined by “and” or “or”, the particle “to” of the second infinitive can be omitted:

e.g. I want to call Mr Jones and fax or post him a letter.

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 14. Fill in the correct tense of the infinitive or the -ing form:

Example. We'd better not bother her – she seems to be studying (study).

1. The accused denied (to do) anything wrong. 2. Paul pretended (to win) a lot of money but in fact he had won nothing at all. 3. She must (to work) outdoors when we rang. She didn't answer the phone. 4. Jane hoped (to give) the prize, but someone else won it. 5. He seemed (to swim). He was all wet. 6. I should (to give) him some money before I went out, but I forgot. 7. She says she would love (to come) to dinner with us tonight. 8. He must (to practise) that piece for hours – he plays it very well now. 9. The athlete seemed (to be) out of breath – he must (to run) for hours. 10. Peter claims (to choose) as the best dressed man of the year. 11. They could (to prepare) a meal for us last night instead of making us go out to eat. 12. John must (to be) very busy these days – I never see him. 13. The house looks so clean now. They must (to clean) all day. 14. Jan should (to give) us her new address before she left. 15. The two men appeared (to try) to break into the building when the police arrived.

Exercise 15. Write what each word is followed by: F.I. (full inf.), B.I.

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Exercise 16. Complete the conversation between a travel agent and a woman, using the infinitive or the -ing form:

A.: Good morning, madam. Can I (to help) you?

W.: Yes. I'd like (to book) a holiday please.

A.: Certainly. I must (to ask) you a few questions. Now… where would you like (to go)? How long are going (to stay)? Would you prefer (to have) a relaxing beach holiday or (to go) sightseeing? Which countries are you interested in (to visit)? What means of transport do you prefer?

W.: Well, young man. I don't know where (to go) or how long (to stay). I hate (to go) to the beach and I don't enjoy sightseeing. I don't want (to visit) any foreign countries because foreign food makes me (to feel) ill. As for means of transport, I'm too frightened (to fly) in an aeroplane. I hate (to go) on boats, I don't like (to travel) by train and (to travel) on a coach makes me (to feel) sick.

A.: Well, madam, I don't know what (to suggest). I don't want (to appear) rude, but I really think you should (to stay) at home!!!

The Gerund and the Verbal Noun Compared

From the gerund in its indefinite form we should distinguish the verbal noun which is another part of speech and has no verbal features at all. The verbal noun is also formed by adding the suffix –ing to the stem of the verb but in comparison with the gerund:

1)it can be used with articles and can have plural form: e.g. He took part in the sittings of the committee.

2)it can be modified by adjectives:

e.g. I was awakened by their loud talking.

3) it doesn’t have the categories of voice and perfect:

e.g. The doing of morning exercises was very good for me. 4) it can’t be followed by direct object:

e.g. They started the loading of the ship. (Compare the sentence with the gerund: They started loading the ship.)

It is more difficult to discriminate between a gerund and a verbal noun in cases where the verbal characteristics of the gerund are not apparent. This happens mainly when an –ing form is used as a single word without any modifiers or with such modifiers as occur with both the gerund and the verbal noun:

e.g. His coming was unexpected.

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Her acting was perfect.

In such cases the meaning of the form should be taken into account. Thus a gerund suggest a process, an activity, whereas a verbal noun denotes kinds of occupation (skating as compared to hockey), an art form (acting, painting), a branch of knowledge (engineering, spelling as opposed to pronunciation).

It goes without saying that an –ing form is a pure noun when it denotes an object, often the result of activity (a building – a house; a drawing, a painting – a picture). In such cases a noun unlike a gerund, may also combine with numerals, as in two drawings, four buildings, etc.

► FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

Exercise 17. Read the sentences and guess whether gerund or a verbal noun is used in these sentences. Translate the sentences and prove your answer:

1. Little by little the sky was darkened by the mixing dust, and the wind felt over the earth, loosened the dust, and carried it away. (J.

Steinbeck) 2. He was just six foot tall and he had a gallant bearing.

(W.S. Maugham) 3. If the play’s wrong no acting in the world will save

it. (W.S. Maugham) 4. At the beginning of 1917, when it was becoming difficult to find coal, Dick burned for fuel almost a hundred textbooks…

(F.S. Fitzgerald) 5. The corn threshed the wind and made a dry, rushing

sound. (J. Steinbeck) 6. In some moods he griped at his own reasoning… (F.S. Fitzgerald) 7. He never read them, for he had long lost

the habit of reading, but he liked to turn the pages, look at the illustrations if they were illustrated, and mend the bindings. (W.S. Maugham) 8. Some distance away could be heard the first small braying of a merry-go-round, and the tooting of a horn. (D.H. Lawrence) 9. He felt a dull resentment against his uncle for taking him in. (W.S. Maugham) 10. But Alfred Charlesworth did not forgive the butty these public-house sayings. (D.H. Lawrence) 11. Thirty years before, he had been an able seaman on a sailing vessel that was wrecked in those treacherous waters. (W.S. Maugham) 12. After which she sat down to her sewing. (D.H. Lawrence) 13. The doctor looked at the group of waiting men. (C. Forbes) 14. So when I got back to my lodgings with just enough time to have a drink, a cigarette, and to read my paper before dressing for dinner, and was told by Miss Fellow, my landlady,

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that Mr. Alroy Kear wished me to ring him up at once, I felt that I could safely ignore his request. (W.S. Maugham) 15. My ignorance of painting is extreme. (W.S. Maugham) 16. The women knew it was all right, and the watching children knew it was all right. (John Steinbeck) 17. She looked at him in wondering dismay. (D.H. Lawrence) 18. Peter took off

his round rimless glasses, tucked them into his pocket, and rolled his window down. He was very aware of Mary’s quick breathing from the

passenger seat. (S. King) 19. She had never seen him cry. And now she realized that his calmness was some instinctive shame of showing his feelings: he hid himself to weep. (W.S. Maugham) 20. His right hand

went automatically towards his pocket for his pipe. Then he remembered he’d given up smoking the damned thing. (C. Forbes)

Summing Up Exercises

Exercise 18. Make up a dialogue using gerund (in its all syntactical functions, grammatical categories) and gerundial complexes as much as you can.

Exercise 19. Transform the following sentences so as to use clauses instead of complexes with the gerund:

1. Do you doubt her being really a Russian? 2. She did not approve of Mary going there. 3. Mrs. Joice insisted on her husband having a bath every day, though he was not used to it. 4. As she had foreseen, I even regretted having prevented her telling me the whole truth. 5. Again

Michael was conscious of something deep and private stirring within himself. 6. When they’d had tea he’d probably suggest their going to the pictures. 7. It’s my fault I ought to have insisted on your taking a holiday. 8. I don’t remember my mother ever trying to contradict me. 9. He didn’t believe in people living beyond seventy. 10. I insist on your

paying what is due to him.

Exercise 20. Develop the following sentences into situations. Read the suggested sentences containing the gerund. Then construct at least one sentence to specify, prove or refute the given one. Follow

the examples:

Example: She insisted on sending for the doctor at once.→ She insisted on sending for the doctor at once. The child was running a high temperature. He had a terrible headache and complained of a sore throat.

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A. 1. She smiled in greeting as I came up to her. 2. He’s tired of

worrying about what is good and what is bad for her. 3. Without being told she knew that the disease was incurable. 4. I couldn’t remember

ever having felt so badly. 5. We are looking forward to meeting you there. 6. She avoided looking at him. 7. Without raising his head, he muttered something inaudible. 8. She looked at him for a moment or two without speaking. 9. At breakfast, he announced his intention of calling upon his granny early in the day. 10. He looked back over his shoulder

with some interest before closing the door behind him.

Example: She suggested our calling a porter. → She suggested our calling a porter. She was sure that our luggage was too heavy for us.

B. 1. I remember my friend telling me that. 2. I am annoyed at their being late. 3. They blamed me for their having missed the train. 4. You

may count on her keeping her promise. 5. She is used to people praising her. 6. It’s queer their sounding so mysterious. 7. It’s no good your

insisting on it. 8. There is no use your worrying about it. 9. Will you object to his coming here? 10. she hates children being naughty.

Exercise 21. Complete the following dialogues:

1.A: Don’t blame her for being so late.

B:…

2.A: …

B:If he is capable of thinking.

3.A: …

B:I have just got used to trying out different hair styles.

4.A: …

B:She is so disappointed at not being able to go, poor thing.

5.A: …

B:You should avoid saying that.

Exercise 22. Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1. Ее продолжали спрашивать, почему она не пошла в полицию, а она продолжала твердить: «Потому что я не знала, что это было убийство». 2. Здесь никто, даже моя дочь, не способен принять это серьезно. 3. У него была привычка больше слушать, чем говорить. 4. Она продолжала твердить себе: «Это неправда. Это неправда…» 5. Ее муж ответил, не поднимая глаз с газеты. 6. Ему не нравилось руководить этим отделом. 7. Он извинился за беспокойство и сказал, что я единственный, кого он знал в Англии.

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