Добавил:
Upload Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз: Предмет: Файл:
Неличные 2010_Колесов_для печати (1).rtf
Скачиваний:
53
Добавлен:
10.07.2019
Размер:
2.52 Mб
Скачать

The alternative use of the Infinitive and the Gerund. The Gerund and the Verbal Noun.

Principal ideas:

  1. The grammatical meaning of INF and GER is often different: INF has an abstract meaning of an action and usually refers to a particular situation naming an idea of some action: I have work to do. We must go at once. To perform the work in time meant to keep the job. I wouldn’t like to meet him now. If I were you I’d write to him more often, etc. GER, on the contrary, doesn’t refer to a pure idea of a certain action, but generalizes actions of one kind: I continued reading the document (=I read, read, and read till some moment). Jogging is a popular physical exercise (many people are involved in this activity and they do it similarly). There are verbs that can be followed by either a GER or INF. In most cases there is either a semantic or structural reason.

  1. The GER is distinguished from the Verbal Noun (VN) that is formed in the same way – by adding -ing suffix to the verbal stem. The VN, though, has no verbal features, but displays some nominal features that the GER lacks.

13. The choice between the Gerund and the Infinitive after some Verbs.

13. The most important cases of difference in use between the Gerund and the Infinitive are described in the table below:

+ GER

+ INF

remember, forget, regret

= to refer to things that happen earlier than remembering, regretting, etc.:

I shall always remember meeting you for the first time. I shall never forget seeing the queen. I don’t regret telling her what I thought, even if it upset her.

= to refer to things that happen after remembering, regretting, etc.:

Remember to go to the post office, won’t you? She is always forgetting to give me my letters. I regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you employment.

go on

=to refer to actions/activities that began before and still continue:

How long do you intend to go on playing those awful records?

=to refer to actions/activities that begin right after some preceding action is completed:

He welcomed the new students and then went on to explain the college regulations.

stop

=as a CV Phasal Pred. to refer to the end of the action/process that started before:

I really must stop smoking.

=as an AM of purpose to refer to another action performed after the action named by the predicate:

Every two hours he stops to have some coffee.

be/get used

used

= to refer to experience that is no longer strange or new to smb. and is still practiced or experienced:

Dorothy faced the class. She was not afraid of them – she was too used to dealing with children ever to be afraid of them – but she did feel a momentary qualm. You can say what you like! I’m used to being criticized. You will get used to living in the country.

= to refer to past events – habits and states which are not practiced any more now:

I used to play cards a lot (in the past, but I don’t now). I always used to be afraid of dogs (but not any more now). She used to come in here as a little kid, but that was years ago. This couldn't possibly be her!

advise, allow, forbid, permit, recommend, require

= when there is no personal object and activity in general is referred to:

Sorry, we don’t allow smoking in the lecture room. The room requires furnishing.

= to say who is allowed, advised, etc. thus referring to a particular situation:

Sorry, we don’t allow people to smoke in here. We require all students to take placement examinations.

propose, mean

Propose = ‘suggest’:

I propose waiting till the police get here.

= ‘to intend’:

I propose/mean to start tomorrow at sunrise.

Mean = ‘involve, imply, include’ (about inanimate objects or ideas):

He is determined to get a seat even if it means standing in a queue all night.

deserve, need, want, require

Deserve = ‘to be worthy of some reward, punishment, recompense, to be fit or suitable for this’ (about someone’s generalized action directed to the subject – the active GER with passive meaning):

He deserved praising for his wit. The boy who had broken the window with a football deserved punishing.

(about the subject’s action in particular situation):

Submariners, even the enemy, deserved to die with their ship rather than at the hands of the creatures of the sea. She deserved to win the race. Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor.

Need, want, require = to refer to actions done to the things named as subject with the focus on activities themselves, not on their performers (doers), thus the active GER is used in place of the passive:

He seemed to need convincing. She said her lawn mower wanted fixing. The pilgrims who came needed housing, food, services. Nothing had happened to require calling the cops, but something was in the air.

= to refer to particular actions desired in near future:

Richard, for instance, would probably want to use his own personal computer. I believe there was some reason you wanted to see me. He needed to conserve his strength. Am I required to tell you everything about everybody I’ve ever known?

try

= to refer to continuous attempts of performing some activity (successful) or experimenting to see what will happen (thus generalizing a series of actions):

I tried growing tulips in my small garden and had exceptionally beautiful samples.

= to refer to attempts to do something or achieve something (in a particular situation) which is difficult and may be unsuccessful:

I tried to persuade him, but in vain, he wouldn’t listen to me. I tried to call her but the line was busy.

like

= ‘to enjoy’ referring to some activity or series of actions – thus generalized (INF is also possible with this meaning in AmE):

I like walking/to walk (AmE) in the rain.

= ‘to choose to’; ‘to be in the habit’; ‘to think it right to do’ thus referring to a single action:

I like to get up early so that I can get plenty of work done before lunch (=Люблю встать утром пораньше, чтобы до обеда успеть сделать больше работы). I heard you talking and I didn’t like to disturb you, so I went away (=Слышал, как вы разговаривали и решил не беспокоить и поэтому ушел).

would like = ‘wish’, ‘want’:

What would you like to do this morning?

love, hate, prefer (with little difference in meaning)

I love lying/to lie on my back and staring/to stare at the sky. Some people hate working/to work in the early morning. Personally I prefer working/to work in the morning.

= to speak about generalized activities:

I prefer swimming to cycling.

= to refer to particular occasion:

Would you like to have lunch now or you prefer to wait? I hate to mention it, but you owe me some money.

dread

= ‘Whenever I do smth, I’m horrified’ (about generalized activities):

I dread going to a dentist.

= ‘I dare not try to’ (about particular situation):

I dread to think what has happened to him.

begin, start, continue, cease, commence

(with little difference in meaning)

It started to rain/raining. The train continued to move/moving slowly along the platform. We usually begin to describe/describing a picture by naming the artist. The motor ceased to roar/roaring.

Note 1: After begin, start in the Continuous Aspect only INF is possible:

He was beginning to tell me how he had gone to see the Queen, when the teacher came.

Note 2: After begin, continue, start the verbs understand, realize, know and the verb see in the mental (cognitive) sense are used only in the form of INF:

She began to realize/see what he wanted. Through his words we were starting to understand that the bitter truth was not yet discovered.

intend, attempt, omit, can’t bear/stand

(with little difference in meaning)

I can’t bear to get/getting my hands dirty. He is accustomed to swim/to swimming before breakfast. I cannot omit to mention/mentioning this dreadful fact here.

Note 1: When INF refers to a deliberate action the expression implies that the subject’s feelings prevent(ed) him from performing the action (reference to particular event):

I couldn’t bear to tell him (so I didn’t).

Note 2: With intend, attempt INF is more usual than GER:

He intends to double the advertising budget. I intend selling it.

Note 3: intend + Personal Object takes INF (in formal English):

I intend him to take over the department.

be sure/certain

+ of + GER = to express the agent’s certainty about the event (which may be wrong to the fact as known by the speaker):

Before the game started Alan felt sure/certain of winning, but after the first five minutes he began to lose confidence.

= to express the speaker’s certainty about the event:

Manchester are sure/certain to win: the other team haven’t got a chance.

be ashamed

+ of (oneself for) + GER (Non-Perfect) = to refer to previous action:

You should be ashamed of (yourself for) lying to him.

= to refer to subsequent action:

I’m ashamed to tell you what this carpet cost.

be afraid, fear

=with little difference in meaning if GER or INF denote such actions as are in the control of the agents, e.g. they are aware of what is happening

I’m afraid of flying. I fear displeasing you. I’m afraid of telling her.

I’m afraid to fly. I fear to displease you. I’m afraid to tell her.

Only GER is used to speak about unexpected things, which happen without our wanting or choosing them (thus generalizing):

I’m afraid of crashing. I don’t like to speak French because I’m afraid of making mistakes.

Compare:

I’m afraid to dive/of diving into the swimming pool (‘I can do it, but I don’t want to’).

I’m afraid of falling into the swimming pool (‘I don’t want it, but this can happen to me’; there is no to-INF here).

She both feared his speaking and wished for it.

When fear is in the –ing form (GER, PI, or Continuous Aspect) it is likely to take a to-INF as it refers to a particular (and probably single) event:

He dressed in haste, and, as though carrying his cup full of wrath, and fearing to spill any over, fearing to lose with his wrath the energy necessary for the interview with his wife, he went into her room directly he heard she was up.

be sorry

= to apologize for what you have already done or still do (prior events): be sorry for what you did in the past (Perfect GER is used: be sorry for having done)

I’m sorry for having woken you up yesterday.

(simultaneous events): be sorry for what you are doing at present (Non-Perfect GER is used: be sorry for doing)

I’m sorry for waking you up. Don't ever be sorry for doing something you believe is right.

= to apologize for what you have already done (prior events): be sorry for what you did in the past (Perfect INF is used: be sorry to have done)

I'm sorry to have bothered you. I just thought I should talk to you before I went to the police. I 'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

= to apologize for what you are about to do (subsequent events) in the near future: be sorry for what you are going to do (Non-Perfect INF is used: be sorry to do)

I'm sorry to bother you, but I thought you should know... I'm very sorry to tell you this, but Kemal is being expelled.

be interested

= to refer to what will or may happen (as some general activity or series of actions):

I’m interested in working in France – do you know anybody who could help me? There was a woman he was interested in marrying. She's interested in painting, but she's afraid to pursue it.

= to refer to what has happened (the situation and the action are particular):

I was interested to read in the papers that scientists have found out how the universe began.