Correct mistakes if any
1. If I was you I will done it at once.
2. Oh, if I did know it yesterday.
3. I had to help her; otherwise she wouldn’t be able to went upstairs.
4. She has better learned this poem for the next lesson.
5. It’s time that we could met him at the station,
6. She will speak to you as though she know nothing.
7. No matter how old you would be, you will always look great.
8. That girl look as if she is ten years old.
9. If he wouldn’t left her alone, she wouldn’t be taken to hospital.
10. Sam ordered than John will come.
11. But for the wind the weather were nice.
12. John look as if he is offended.
13. We feared lest our friends were late.
14. I wished I knew that before I got involved.
15. She much rather you have stayed.
16. Do it at once lest she will change her mind.
17. I’m astonished that she should has say so.
18. Her only fear is lest there is something wrong with the child health.
19. I’m afraid lest it will be too late.
20. He was pleased that she liked his book.
THE NON-FINITE FORMS OF THE VERB
THE VERBALS
THE VERBIDS
The verb has finite and non-finite forms (verbals/ verbids). The verbals, unlike the finite forms of the verb, do not express person, number or mood. Therefore they cannot be used as the predicate of a sentence.
Like the finite forms of the verb the verbals have tense and voice distinctions, but their tense distinctions differ greatly from those of the finite verb.
There are 3 verbals in English: the participle, the gerund and the infinitive.
In Ukrainian we also have three non-finite forms of the verb but they do not fully coincide with those in the English language (дієприкметник, дієприслівник, інфінитив).
THE CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS OF THE VERBALS
are as follows:
1. They have a double nature, nominal and verbal. The participle combines the characteristics of a verb with those of an adjective or an adverb; the gerund and the infinitive combine the characteristics of a verb with those of a noun.
He spoke through the locked door.Having reached the classroom, she became the object of many questions. To bathe in the sea is pleasant. He spoke of going to the mountains.
2. The distinction between the finite forms of the verb and the verbids is as follows:
the finite forms of the verb have always a subject with which they agree in number and person: I am a student. He is a student.
the verbids are not restricted in number and person by any grammatical subject: I hear them speak. I hear him speak. She/ I was sitting at the table reading a book.
Neither have the verbals mood distinction.
Accordingly, the verbals cannot express predication by themselves; they can be only part of the predicate and as part of the predicate they must always be in connection with finite forms of the verb: She began putting her notes in order.You may come at any time you like.He ought to have been present at the meeting.
3.In common with the finite forms of the verb all the three verbals have voice and tense distinctions:
to write is the active voice of the indefinite infinitive;
to be writtenis the corresponding passive form;
writing is the present participle in the active voice;
being written is the passive voice.
The tense distinctions of the verbals are not absolute (like those of the finite verb), but relative; the form of a verbal does not show whether the action it denotes refers to the present, past or future; it shows only whether the action expressed by the verbal is simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb or prior to it:
I see him run. I saw him run. I’ll see him run.Having finished my lessons, I usually go home. Having finished my lessons, I went home. Having finished my lessons, I’ll go home.
Besides distinctions of voice and tense, the three verbids retain also the following characteristics of the finite forms of the verb from which they are formed:
a) If the verb is a transitive one, they can take a direct object:
I intend to read this book. She was sitting in an arm-chair reading a book. Reading good books is a pleasure.
b) In common with the finite forms of the verb the infinitive, gerund and participle are modified by adverbs:
To speak English fluently is difficult. Writing quickly tires my hand. He came in laughing loudly.
4. All the verbals can form predicative constructions, i.e. constructions, consisting of two elements, a nominal (noun or pronoun) and a verbal (participle, gerund or infinitive). The verbal element stands in predicate relation to the nominal element, i.e. in a relation similar to that between the subject and the predicate of the sentence. In most cases predicative constructions form syntactic units, serving as one part of the sentence: I saw him leave the room. They sat down to supper, the boy still talking cheerfully. Would you mind my coming in?
In the sentence the verbal may occur:
a) singly, i.e. without accompanying words: She went away smiling. Arguing is out of the question. To decide is to act.
b) in phrases, i.e. with one or several accompanying words (an object or an adverbial modifier to the verbid). The phrases form syntactic units serving as one part of the sentence: When writing letters, he does not like to be disturbed. After reaching the second landing, she stopped to breathe. It is useless to discuss the question.
A phrase should not be confused with a predicative construction: between the elementsof a phrase there is no predicate relation as it does not include a noun or pronoun denoting the doer of the action expressed by a verbal.
c) in predicative constructions: Weather permitting, we shall start tomorrow. There is no mistake about his being a genius.He was thought to be honest and kind.
The Infinitive
The infinitive developed from the verbal noun, which in the course of time became verbalized, retaining at the same time some of its nominal properties. Thus in modern English the infinitive, like the participle and the gerund, has double nature, nominal and verbal.
The nominal character of the infinitive is manifested in its syntactic functions. The infinitive can be used as:
the subject: To go on like this was dangerous.
an object: He has never learned to write or read.
a predicative: Her plan was to study till late.
The verbal characteristics of the infinitiveare as follows:
1) the infinitive of transitive verbs can take a direct object: He began to feel some curiosity.
2) the infinitive can be modified by an adverb: I cannot write so quickly.
3) the infinitive has tense and aspect distinctions; the infinitive of transitive verbs has also voice distinctions:
Categories of the Infinitive
Correlation | Voice Aspect | Active | Passive |
Non-Perfect | Common | to go to take to know | ----- to be taken to be known |
Continuous | to be going to be taking ------ | ----- ----- ----- | |
Perfect | Common | to have gone to have taken to have known | to have been taken to have been known ----- |
Continuous | to have been going to have been taking ----- | ----- ----- ----- |
The Indefinite Infinitive expresses an action simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb, so it may refer to the present, past or future, e.g.: I’m glad to meet you. She helped me to carry the heavy box. Mr. Forsyte will be very glad to see you.
The Continuous Infinitive also denotes an action simultaneous with that expressedby the finite verb, but it is an action in progress, e.g.:To be staying with them was a real pleasure. I was glad to be waking. The leaves begin to be growing yellowish.
The Perfect Infinitive denotes an action prior to the action expressed by the finiteverb, e.g.: I’m glad to have seen you. An intimate friend is said to have dined with him that day.
Note:After such verbs as to mean, to expect, to intend, to hope used in the Past Indefinite the Perfect Infinitive shows that the hope or intention was not carried out,e.g.: I meant to have gone there. – Я збирався піти туди, але не пішов. I quite expected you to have been here before six o’clock. He hoped to have come.
The same meaning can be conveyed by the Past Perfect of the finite verb followed by the Indefinite Infinitive, e.g.: I had meant to go there. He had meant to marry me.
The idea, however, is often expressed in the following way:I meant to go there, but never did.
The Perfect Continuous Infinitive denotes an action which lasted a certain timebefore the action of the finite verb, e.g.: For about ten days we seemed to have been living on nothing but cold meat, cake and bread and jam.
The infinitive of transitive verbs has special forms for the Active and the Passive Voice, e.g.: It is so glorious to love and to be loved.
In sentences with the construction “there is” the infinitive of some verbs can be active or passive without any change in the meaning, e.g.: There’s no time to lose. = There’s no time to be lost. There’s nothing to fear (to be feared).
The Use of the Infinitive Without the Particle “to”
Usage | Examples | Note |
After the auxiliaries: Do/did Shall/will Should/would | I don’t like tea. I shall be sleeping at eleven. He would like to go to the party. | Present/Past Indefinite Future Tenses Future-in-the-Past/Conditional Mood |
After modal verbs | He may have come. | Except “ought, used to” |
After the verb to help But: | Will you help me carry this box? This book helped me to see the truth. | External help is called in. Assistance is outside the action proper. |
After the verbs of sense perception1 To make To have (=to get, to make)2 To know (=to experience)3 To let To bid | I didn’t notice you enter the room. I felt my heart jump. Don’t make me laugh. I will not have you treat her so cruelly. We have never known him losehis temper before. Let’s go for a walk. The knight bade the traveller enter. | The Infinitive is used as part of the Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction.4 It occurs in old-fashioned narrative style. |
After the expressions: Had better/best Would rather/sooner Cannot (help) but Cannot choose but To do nothing save/ but Nothing to do except | He’d better go away. I’d rather go away. I cannot but laugh. She does nothing but make plans. He had nothing to do but wait. | The Infinitive is part of the compound verbal modal predicate. The Infinitive functions as adverbial modifier of exception. |
After why (not), how in rhetorical questions | Why (not) go there right away? How leave her there? | In one-member (Infinitive) sentences |
If the Infinitive expands the meaning of the verb to do. | Turn off the gas was all I did. All I did was (to) turn off the gas. | The Infinitive is the subject. “To” is optionally omitted if the infinitive is a predicative. |
After than | I’ve more important things to do than (to) translate this unnecessary text. | “To” is optionally omitted if the infinitive is an adverbial modifier of comparison. |
1 The verb to be after the verb to feelis used with the particle “to”:
Ifeltthis to be true.
2 The verb to havein the meaning of “допускать” is chiefly used after the modal verbs “will” and “would” in negative sentences.
I will not have you call him Daniel any more.
I would not have you think that I am selfish.
3 The verb to know in this meaning approaches that of to see, to observe (the verb to know never has this meaning in the Present Indefinite):
I have so often known a change of medicine work wonders.
In this case, however, the particle “to” is sometimes used:
I have never known her to weep before.
4 After the verbs to hear, to see, to make, to know, etc. in the Passive Voice the to-Infinitive is used. (The Infinitive is used as part of the Subjective-with-the-Infinitive Construction), e.g.: He was heard to mention your name several times.
They were seen to leave the house early in the morning. The child was made to obey. Sir Pitt Crawley was never known to give away a shilling or to do a good action.
FUNCTIONS OF INFINITIVE