The infinitive, the gerund, participle 1, participle: their properties.

The Infinitive Historically, the infinitive is a verbal noun. Hence its double nature: itcombines the features of the verb with those of the noun. It is the form of the verbwhich expresses a process in general, i.e. a process that is not restricted (i.e.concretized) by person, number, tense, and mood. Because of its general processmeaning, the infinitive is treated as the head-form of the whole paradigm of theverb. The infinitive has two presentation forms: marked and unmarked. Themarked infinitive is distinguished by the grammatical word-morpheme to,historically a preposition. Similar to other grammatical word morphemes, to can beused to represent the corresponding construction as a whole (e.g. You can read anyof the books if you want to). It can also be separated from its notional part by aword or phrase, usually of adverbial nature, forming the so-called split infinitive(e.g. We need your participation, to thoroughly investigate the issue.) The markedinfinitive is an analytic grammatical form. The other form of the infinitive is unmarked; it is traditionally called thebare infinitive. It is used in various analytic forms (non-modal and modal), withverbs of physical perception, with the verbs let, bid, make, help (optionally), with afew modal phrases (had better, would rather, would have, etc.), with the relativewhy. The infinitive combines the properties of the verb with those of the noun, asa result it serves as the verbal name of a process. It has the grammatical categoriesof voice, aspect and temporal correlation. Consequently, the categorial paradigm ofthe infinitive includes eight forms: the indefinite active, the continuous active, theperfect active, the perfect continuous active; the indefinite passive, the continuouspassive, the perfect passive, the perfect continuous passive. to take — to be taking to have taken — to have been taking to be taken —to be being taken to have been taken — to have been being taken The continuous and perfect continuous passive can only be usedoccasionally, with a strong stylistic colouring. It is the indefinite infinitive thatconstitues the head-form of the verbal paradigm. The verbal features of the infinitive. Like the finite form of verb, theinfinitive distinguishes the categories of aspect, voice, and temporal correlation. The paradigm of the infinitive is determined by the semantico-syntacticproperties of the process. If the process is intransitive, we cannot derive voiceforms e.g. to walk – to be walking vs. *to be being walked to have walked – to have been walking vs. *to have been being walked The nounal features of the infinitive. Semantically and morphologically, theinfinitive is much more similar to the verb than to the noun: its verbal featuresoutweigh its nounal features. Similar to the noun, the infinitive can be used as thesubject or part of the subject, the predicative, and the attribute. The Gerund The gerund is originally a verbal noun in –ing. Similar to the infinitive, thegerund is the name of a process, but its substantive meaning is more stronglypronounced than that of the infinitive: unlike the infinitive, the gerund can bemodified by a noun in the genitive case or by the possessive pronoun and usedwith prepositions. The general combinability of the gerund, like that of the infinitive, is dual,sharing some features with the verb, and some features with the noun. The verbal features of the gerund. Like the verb, the gerund distinguishes thecategories of voice and temporal correlation: writing (non-passive, non-perfect) – being written (passive, non-perfect) having written (non-passive, perfect) – having been written (passive,perfect) It is obvious that gerunds derived from intransitive verbs have only twoforms: non-perfect active and perfect active, e.g. walking vs. having walked. The gerund has the following syntactic features of the verb: it can functionas part of the verbal predicate (e.g. If he stops working, he will die); it can befollowed by an object (e.g. I remember locking the door) and an adverbial modifier(e.g. He avoids driving fast). The nounal features of the gerund. Similar to the noun, the gerund can bemodified by a noun in the genitive case or in the common case, which, whenpronominalized, turn into the possessive and objective forms, respectively: She did nothing to encourage John’s going abroad. She did nothing to encourage John going abroad. vs. She did nothing to encourage his going abroad. She did nothing to encourage him going abroad. The standard form is the form with the noun in the genitive case or with thepossessive pronoun. The other form is more common in spoken English. Thegerund in the latter construction is traditionally called the half-gerund. Unlike the noun, the gerund cannot be used in the plural; it cannot bepreceded by the article (or its substitute); it cannot be determined by the adjective. Like the noun, the gerund can be used as the subject, the object, thepredicative, and the attribute. Participle The participle is a term applied to adjectival forms of verbs. There are twotypes of participle: the present participle and the past participle. Participle I The present participle is the non-finite form of the verb which combines theproperties of the verb with those of the adjective and adverb, serving as thequalifying-processual name. In its outer form the present participle is whollyhomonymous with the gerund, ending in the suffix -ing and distinguishing thesame grammatical categories of temporal correlation and voice. Both forms denotea process – the present participle (or the past participle) denotes a qualifyingprocess while the gerund denotes a substantival process. The term present participle may be misleading since the participle does notexpress tense distinctions. It is a traditional term, originally applied to adjectivalforms of verbs in Ancient Greece which were inflected for tense, aspect, and case.It was borrowed from Greek grammar through Latin grammar and uncriticallyapplied to English verbal forms which had an adjective-like use. As to its temporalmeaning, the present participle expresses a process simultaneous with or prior tothe process of the finite verb: it may denote present, past, and future. Verbal features. Both the present participle and the gerund distinguish thesame grammatical categories of voice and temporal correlation: writing (non-perfect, non-passive) – being written (non-perfect, passive) having written (perfect, non-passive) – having been written (perfect, passive) walking (non-perfect, non-passive) – having walked (perfect, non-passive) Like the verb, it combines with the object, the adverbial modifier; like theverb, it participates in the formation of the verbal predicate. The present participle, similar to the infinitive, can build up semi-predicativecomplexes of objective and subjective types. The two groups of complexes, i.e.infinitival and present participial, may exist in parallel (e.g. when used with someverbs of physical perceptions), the difference between them lying in the aspectivepresentation of the process. Cf.: Nobody noticed the scouts approach the enemy trench. — Nobody noticed the scouts approaching the enemy trench with slow,cautious, expertly calculated movements. Suddenly a telephone was heard to buzz, breaking the spell. — The telephone was heard vainly buzzing in the study. A peculiar use of the present participle is seen in the absolute participialconstructions of various types, forming complexes of detached semi-predication.Cf.: The message being written, I clicked “Send”. Jane was watching TV, the kids sleeping in the adjoining room. These complexes of descriptive and narrative stylistic nature seem to begaining ground in present-day English. Adjectival properties. Like the adjective, the present participle can be usedas an attribute – generally as a postposed attribute, e.g. The man talking to John ismy boss. Participle II The past participle is the non-finite form of the verb which combines theproperties of the verb with those of the adjective, serving as the qualifying-processual name. Unlike the present participle, it has no paradigm of its own. Its verbal features are participation in the structure of the verbal predicate(e.g. The house was destroyed by a bomb) and the use as secondary predicate (e.g.Her spirit, though crushed, was not broken). Its adjectival feature is its attributive function, e.g. She looked at the brokencup.Similar to the present participle, the past participle can be used in postposition orin preposition to the noun: the broken cup vs. the cup broken. But as compared tothe present participle, the past participle occurs in preposition to the noun morefrequently. Like the present participle, the past participle is capable of making up semi-predicative constructions of complex object, complex subject, as well as ofabsolute complex. The absolute past participial complex as a rule expresses priority in thecorrelation of two events. Cf.: The preliminary talks completed, it became possibleto concentrate on the central point of the agenda.