Lecture 11 Non-finite verbs & non-finite clauses

1. Infinitive 1.1 forms of infinitive 1.2 uses of infinitive sign --- to 1.3 collocations of infinitive with adj., n. and v. 2. –ing participle 2.1 collocation of –ing participle with v. 2.2 verbs followed by either infinitive or –ing p. 2.3 –ing participle clauses3. -ed participle 3.1 use of –ed participle 3.2 –ed participle clauses4. Dangling participles and absolute construction

Non-finite verbs and phrases

• In linguistics, a non-finite verb is a verb form that is not limited by a subject.

• Non-finite verbs: not marked for tense or for subject-verb concord

• Non-finite phrase or clause: main verbs occurs in the non-finite form or a clause with a non-finite verb phrase as predicate.

• I’d like to play tennis.• She enjoys inviting friends to parties.• I must get my suit cleaned.

1.Forms of Infinitives

• I have a lot of work to do.• I asked him not to tell me the truth.• To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of life.

He is said to have left Shanghai.The president was reported to have been flying across the Atlantic.

• Infinitives can take the aspect and voice forms.

• to-infinitive and bare infinitive

Use of bare-infinitive: P141

You should do what you are told. (modals)You can not help but respect them.She would rather die than marry him. (modal idioms)We hadn't time for luncheon ， but we made do with

sandwiches.Don't let go (of) the handle. (idiomatic verb

constructions)

Would you let him have a try? (causative verbs )

We felt the house shake.

He doesn't like listening to other people talk. (sense verbs)

They did nothing but wait.

There's no choice but to unite. (preposition but and except)

Go post a letter for me.

Come have a chat with me. (idiomatic expressions)

P147, 16A

Use of infinitive sign --- to

• Infinitive “to” vs. preposition “to” • He used to ___ up late in the morning.• He is used to ___ up in the morninglate. (get)• John came to ___ (realize) that that housework was an

important part of daily life.• When it came to ___ (help) his wife with housework, John

never grumbled.• Identical in form, but the former followed by an infinitive,

and the latter followed by a noun or equivalent.• (P156, 2)

collocations of infinitives with adjectives, nouns, and verbs

• 1. Adjective ＋ infinitive (as complement) • He is glad to help others.

I'm sorry to be late.• She was careless to break the cup. = It was careless of her to

break the cup.• That question is difficult to answer.=It is difficult to answer

that question.• Dirty water is nasty to drink.=It is nasty to drink dirty water. The box is heavy to move. These books are easy to sell.= It is easy to sell these books.

= These books sell easily. P148, 16B

• Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.

• 2. Noun (phrase) + infinitive• He is not the man to draw back.• This is the best book to read. • She is to blame.• Give me a list of people to invite / to be invited.• The man to consult / to be consulted is Mr. Johnson.• I have got a lot of letters to write.• There is a lot of work to do.• There is no necessity to buy / of buying a new car.• The doctor made a bold attempt to save / of saving the

child's life. (Noun + infinitive = noun + preposition + -ing ) P149, 16C

3. Verb + - infinitive

• Verb + infinitive• He demanded to be told everything.

She claimed to be the owner of the car.• These verbs include agree, aim, apply, arrange, choose,

claim, decide, demand, desire, determine, endeavor, expect, hope, learn, manage, offer, pledge, prepare, pretend, profess, promise, refuse, resolve, seek, swear, threaten, undertake, venture, volunteer, vow, etc. (about 90)

• Verb + object + infinitive

• We know him to be reliable.He declared himself to be innocent.

• They believed him to be insane.= They believed that he was insane.

• The verbs include feel, think, understand, imagine, consider, guess, suppose etc.

• Verb + (object) + infinitive

• Do you intend to make a long stay there?We didn't intend them to act like that.Do you like to play chess?I like people to tell the truth.

Infinitive clauses• Syntactic functions of infinitive clauses• Infinitives with to can be the subject, object,

complement, or adverbial in the sentence.• To give is better than to take.• To know everything is to know nothing.• To live is to do something worthwhile.• He thought a great pity not to have invited her.• He likes his wife to dress well.

• as adverbial of purpose, result, and cause.

• Eat to please yourself, but dress to please others.

• She stood up to be seen better.

• He opened the window in order to / so as to get some fresh air.

• In 1935 he left home never to return.He got to the station only to be told that the train had left.He was like a cock that thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.

Other uses of infinitive

• She is too young to take care of herself.

• I’m too tired to do anything tonight.

• The boy is too short to reach the top shelf.

• = the boy is not tall enough to reach the top shelf.

• They are too poor to own a house.

• = they are not rich enough to own a house.

2. –ing participle

• -ing participle: present participle and gerund• 1. collocation of –ing participle with v.• A. Verb + -ing form• He admitted making the mistake.• She dreads getting old.• She couldn’t help crying when she heard the news.• I can’t stand being kept waiting.

• These verbs include admit , acknowledge, anticipate, advocate, appreciate, avoid, can't help, can't resist, can't stand, consider, contemplate, defer, delay, deny, detest, dislike, don't mind, ensure, enjoy, escape, excuse, evade, facilitate, fancy, favor, finish, give up, imagine, include, keep (on) ,mind, miss, pardon, postpone, practise, put off , resent, report ,risk, stop, suggest , etc.

B. verbs followed by either infinitive or –ing p.

1. without change of meaning I can’t bear living alone.

I can’t bear to see the child so badly treated.Phil prefers doing it that way.He prefers to go by train this evening.

• verbs such as begin, cease, continue, start and emotive verbs such as can’t bear, dread, hate, intend, like, love, need, neglect, omit, plan, prefer, require, etc.

• The infinitive is commonly used to refer to a specific act while the-ing participle is used to refer to a general act, eg:

• It is no use __ (cry) over spilt milk.

• Would you prefer __ (stay) at home this evening?

• She began __ (believe) his story.

• At last they ceased __ (talk).

2. with different meanings

• Can't you remember telling me the story last night?You must remember to tell him all that.

• I regret telling you that John stole it.I regret to tell you that John stoic it.They stopped watching TV at 9:30.They stopped to watch TV at 9:30.

• Your plan would mean spending a lot of money.I didn't mean to spend too much money on that project.

• They wants to repair the house.• The house wants repairing.• She proposed catching the early train.• She proposed to catch the early train.• The workers quit smoking.• The workers quit to eat.• I can’t help doing it.• I can’t help to do it.• He deservers shooting first.• He deservers to shoot first.• P157, 17B

Syntactic functions of – ing participle clauses

• 1. Both –ing participle and infinitive clause can be used as subject, object, and subject / object complement.

• Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

• Reading a good book is like talking with a lofty person.• It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what

you do.• I noticed an old man crossing the road.

I noticed an old man cross the road.

• 2. as adverbials of time, cause, or condition, concession, result, and accompanying circumstances.

• Climbing to the top of the tower, we saw a magnificent view.Being a hard-working young man, he was praised by his teachers.You will make yourself more tired keeping on your feet.

Knowing all this, he still insisted on my paying for the damage.It rained heavily, causing severe flooding in that area.The old man was asleep, holding a book in his hand.

3. -ed participle

• as pre modifier and as subject/object complement.

• 1. as pre modifier • frozen food a freezing wind

a bored traveler a boring journeya lost cause a losing battle

• The ruled class the ruling class

• transitive –ed participles usually denote a passive meaning or a sense of completion.

• -ing participles which may come from transitive and intransitive verbs usually express an active meaning or a sense of incompletion

• a returned overseas

• an escaped prisoner

• the risen sun

• a faded flower

• a returned student

• the vanished treasure

• fallen leaves

• intransitive –ed participles as pre modifiers have the sense of completion but imply no passive meaning.

• P162

• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.

• A watched pot never boils.

• Father looked at the child with a pleased look.

• She is a girl of unequalled beauty.

• He achieved undreamt-of success.

• He took an uninterested attitude.

• It’s a proven fact.

2. –ed participle as complement

• A drunken man is one who has got drunk.A lighted candle is one that has been lit. (p.161)

• Everybody thought the battle lost.

• I heard his name called.

• I have my hair cut every two weeks.

• Please keep us informed of the latest developments.

• I don’t want any of you (to be) involved in the scandal.(p.161-162)

syntactic functions of –ed participle clauses

• Post-modifier

• The men, (who were) soaked with sweat from an all-right march, immediately went into action.

• Most of the people invited to the party didn’t turn up.

• As an adverbial, -ed participle clauses can denote time, cause, condition, concession as well as accompanying circumstances.

• Heated, the metal expands.Deeply moved, he thanked her again and again.Left to his own devices, Charles did not relax his efforts.

• United, we stand; divided, we fall.• The soldier, though seriously wounded, persevered in

fighting.• We will not attack, unless attacked.

4. Dangling participle

• Attachment rule : When non-finites are used as adverbial clauses, its logical subject is usually identifiable with the subject or other element of the main clause. It is through this relationship that the non-finite construction is "attached" to the main clause.

• When the subject of a non-finite is not expressed, it is normally understood to be the subject of the main clause.

• Looking up the sky, she saw the moon shinning bright.• To save the child, he laid his life.• Caught in a traffic jam, we lost patience easily.

• Violation of the "attachment rule" will result in a "dangling participle”.

• Sitting at the window, a flock of birds flew across the sky.• Barking loudly, we chased the dog out of the room.• To admit fresh air, the window were all wide open.• Though troubled by heavy family cares, the work was

done as well as ever.

• Wanting patience, one won’t succeed.• Touching her wealth, I have nothing to say.• Frankly speaking, the car is not worth buying.

Absolute construction

• “absolute construction” is essentially a non-finite with an expressed subject of its own.

• An “absolute constructions” is commonly separated from the main clause by a comma.

• used in formal literary language as a sort of rhetorical to achieve concision in wording and vividness.

• “absolute constructions” can be used as adverbials of time, cause, condition, manner, as well as accompanying circumstances.

• The last bus having gone, we had to walk home.

• The job finished, we went home straight away.=With the job finished, we went home straight away

• The tree growing tall, we will get more shade.=With the tree growing tall, we will get more shade.

• His homework done, Jim decided to go and seen the play.

• Her shirt caught on a nail, she could not move.• Weather permitting, the cricket match will take

place on Wednesday.• The meeting (being) over, we all left the room.• Life being very short, and the quiet hours of it

few; we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books.

• 2000 There___ nothing more for discussion, the meeting came to an end half an hour earlier. A.  to be          B. to have been        C. being      D. be 51.  ___ at in this way, the present economic situation doesn’t seem so gloomy. A.  Looking        B.  Looked    C.  Having looked   D.  To look

• 2001 51.  ___ is not a serious disadvantage in life.A. To be not tall    B. Not to be tall 

C. Being not tall    D. Not being tall • 2002 46. AID is said _________ the number-one killer of both

men and women over the past few years in that region.A. being b. to be C. to have been D. having been

• 2004 45.If not ____ with the respect he feels due to him, Jack gets very ill-tempered and grumbles all the time.A. being treated  B. treated C. be treated      D. having been treated

• 2007 55.Linda was _____the experiment a month ago, but she changed her mind at the last minute.A.  to start  B. to have started

C. to be starting D. to have been starting63.It is not uncommon for there _______problems of communication between the old and the young.A. being  B. would be  C. be  D. to be64.________at in his way, the situation does not seem so desperate.A. Looking  B. looked  C. Being looked  D. to look2009 51. What a nice day! How about the three of us _____ a walk in the park nearby?A. to take B. take C. taking D. to be taking

• 63.It is not uncommon for there _______problems of communication between the old and the young.A.being            B.would be                C.be                      D.to be there be 是比较常见的句型，但还有其他两个句型， there to be 和 there being.there to be 前面一般接介词 for ， 可以充当主语，宾语和表语。例如： It‘s important for there to be no suspicion between us. (For there to be no suspicion between us is important.)我们相互间不应该猜疑。

• 这个句型与题目的句型一致，都是 for there to be 充当主语， it 在这里作形式主语。I expect there to be a party in our company tomorrow. 我盼望我们公司明天举行一个聚会。 Our hope is for there to be a peaceful world. 我们希望世界和平。 there being 可以也可以作主语，宾语，还可以构成独立主格结构，作原因状语。There being so large a population in so small a district is a heavy burden. 如此狭小的地区有如此众多的人口是一个沉重的负担。 I never dreamed of there being so many animals in the mountains here. 我从没想到这里的山中会有这么多的动物。 （作宾语）There being no bus, we had to walk there. 因为没有公交车，我们只好步行去那里。