2. The Compound Nominal Predicate

The compound nominal predicate consists of a link-verband a nominal element calledpredicative. The predicative expresses a state, property or the class of the thing denoted by the subject, e.g.:

”It’s so lovely here.” Oh! Friendship is a great thing.

Classification of Link-verbs

According to their meaning link-verbs are classified into:

a)the link-verb ofbeing: (the “pure” link-verb “be”), e.g.: I’m a student.

b)the link-verbs ofperception(feel, look, smell, taste, etc.), e.g.: Shelooks happy. The cake tastes delicious.

c)the link-verbs ofbecoming(become, turn, grow, get, fall, etc.), e.g.: It’s getting late. Hegrew old.

d)the link-verbs ofremaining(remain, stay, keep, continue, etc.), e.g.: Istayed calm. Heremained silent.

e)the link-verbs ofseeming or appearing(seem, appear), e.g.: Sheseemed shy. Heappeared agoodlistener.

A particular place is occupied by the link-verbs “prove”and“turn out”, e.g.: The partyturned out a success. … what has happenedwill prove fatal.

The infinitive in the function of a predicative is used after the link-verb to be, e.g.:To decide is to act. His plan was to get in touch with her.

3. The Compound Verbal Predicate

The compound verbal predicate is of two kinds: modal and aspect(ive).

3A) The Compound Verbal Modal Predicate

This kind of predicate consists of a modal component and an infinitive. The modal components can be expressed by:

1.a modal verb, e.g.:I can’t read.”She must go to him”The enemy shall not pass.

2.the verbs“be”and“have”in modal meaning, also“have got” in the meaning of necessity, e.g.:They were to marry in the autumn.Why did he have to leave her? I’ve got to express my likes and dislikes.

3.an equivalent of a modal verb“to be (un)able”,“to be capable”,“to be allowed”,“to be permitted”,“to be obliged”,“to be compelled”,“to be willing”,“to be anxious”,“to be eager”, e. g.:He was only anxious to forget. Every minute or so he was compelled to rest. And children were always willing to play cricket with him.

4.a notional verb with a modal meaning. Here belong the verbs“to hope”,“to want”, “to desire”,“to wish”,“to long”,“to expect”,“to intend”,“to try”,“to endeavour”, etc., e.g.:He almost expected to hear a price. He wanted not to stop ever. I long to see her.

5.the combination“to be going to”denoting intention, e.g.:He’s going to buy her some shoes.

6.the phraseological units“had better (best)”,“had rather”,would rather (sooner), e.g.:Hadn’t we better call him? She said she would rather have a flowered summer frock.

The infinitive in the function of a part of a compound verbal modal predicate is used after a modal component.

3B) The compound verbal aspect(ive) predicate

This kind of predicate consists of two components. The first is a finite verb denoting: a)beginning,b)duration,c)repetition,d)cessation, or end of an action. The second component is an infinitive or gerund. To the verbs of the four mentioned groups belong, in particular:

1. beginning of an action:begin, start, commence, which are followed by both an infinitive and a gerund;come, grow, which are combined only with an infinitive, e.g.:He began to sing. She started to undress.

2. duration of an action: keep (on), go on, which are followed only by a gerund;continue, which is followed by both an infinitive and a gerund, e.g.:His mother continued to sway. Al kept working out.

3.repetition of an action:used toandwouldfollowed by an infinitive only, e.g.:

Where did he use to hang out? Now and then the old man would correcther pronunciation and she would repeat a word.

4.cessation, or end of an action: stop, give up, leave off, finish, which are followed only by a gerund,cease, which combines both with an infinitive and a gerund, e.g.:He ceased, however, to take out and replace the letter. She had given up calling him sir. She hadn’t stopped talking.

The infinitive in the function of a part of a compound verbal aspective predicate is used after an aspective component denoting beginning, duration, repetition or cessation of an action.