Definition of the Term “Verbals”
The Perfect Infinitive denotes an action prior to the action expressed by the finite verb
After the expressions had better, would rather, would sooner, cannot but, nothing but, cannot choose but
The Perfect Gerund denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb
The Functions of the Infinitive in the Sentence
Infinitive Сonstructions
The Objective-with-the-Infinitive Construction is used after verbs denoting order and permission: to order, to allow, to suffer, to have, etc
Attribute
Predicative constructions with the participle
Syntactical Role of the Gerund
Constructions with the Gerund
Am very fond of being looked at. (Wilde)
Навигация
Definition of the Term “Verbals”
Syntax and semantics of verbals in English
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1.2 Definition of the Term “Verbals”
The words of every language fall into classes which are called Parts of Speech. Each part of speech has characteristics of its own. The parts of speech differ from each other in meaning, in form and in function.
One of the parts of speech is the Verb. According to content, the verb can be described as word denoting action, the term “action” embracing the meaning of activity (to walk, to speak, to play, to study, process (to sleep, to wait, to live), state (to be, to like, to know), relation (to consist, to resemble, to lack) and the like. According to form, it can be described as a word that has certain grammatical features that are not shared by other parts of speech; they have the category of tense, aspect, voice. According to the function, verb can be defined as a word making up the predicate of the sentence.
The English Verbs can be divided into two main groups, according to the function they perform in the sentence – the finite forms and non-finite forms.[2]
The finite forms have the function of the predicate in the sentence and may also be called the predicate forms.
The non-finite or non-predicative forms can have various other functions. These forms are also called the verbals.
The non-finite forms or the verbals, unlike the finite forms of the verbs do not express person, number or mood.[3] Therefore, they cannot be used as the predicate of a sentence. Like the finite forms of the verbs the verbals have tense and voice distinctions, but their tense distinctions differ from those of the finite verb.
There are three verbals in English: the participle, the gerund, and the infinitive. In Russian there are also three non-finite forms of the verb, but they do not fully coincide with those in the English language.
In English the verbals have the following characteristic traits:
a) They have a double nature: nominal and verbal. The participle combines the characteristics of a verb with those of an adjective; the gerund and the infinitive combine the characteristics of a verb with those of a known.
b) The tense distinctions of the verbals are not absolute like those of the finite verbs, 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.[4]
In the sentence a verbal may occur.
a) singling (without accompanying words)
Eg. She went away smiling. – Она ушла, улыбаясь.
Reading is out of question, I can’t fix my attention on books. – О чтении не может быть и речи, я не могу сосредоточить свое внимание на книгах.
b) in phrase (i.e. with one or several accompanying words – an object or an adverbial modifier to the verbal). The phrases form syntactic units serving as one part of the sentence. A phrase should not be confused with a predicative construction. Between the elements of a phrase there is no predicate relation as it does not include a noun or pronoun expressed by a verbal.
Eg. Not to disquiet his sister, he had said nothing to her of the matter. – Чтобы не тревожить сестру, он ничего не сказал ей об этом.
c) in predicative constructions.
Eg. She heard him open the door and go out the yard. – Она услышала, как он открыл дверь и вышел во двор.
All the verbals can form predicative constructions. They consist 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. That is to say it stands in the subject and the predicate of the sentence. It most cases predicative constructions form syntactic units, serving as one part of the sentence.
Eg. The sat down to supper, Jerry still talking cheerfully. – Они сели ужинать; Джери продолжал весело разговаривать.
“Jerry still talking cheerfully” is a predicate relation to the noun Jerry, which denotes the doer of the action expressed by the participle.
II. Main Part
Chapter 1 Grammatical Overview of English Verbals
2.1.1 General Characteristics of English Verbals
The verb has finite and non-finite forms, the latter being also called verbals. 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 three verbals in English: the participle, the gerund and the infinitive.
In Russian we also have three non-finite forms of the verb, but they do not fully coincide with those in the English language (причастие, деепричастие, инфинитив).
The characteristic traits of the verbals.
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; the gerund and the infinitive combine the characteristics of a verb with those of a noun.
2. 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.
3. 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.
They sat down to supper, Manston still talking cheerfully. (Hardy)
Они сели ужинать; Мэнстон продолжал весело разговаривать.
Manston still talking cheerfully, is a predicative construction with a participle: the participle talking stands in predicate relation to the noun Manston, which denotes the doer of the action expressed by the participle.
In the sentence a verbal may occur:
(a) singly, i.e. without accompanying words.
She... went away smiling. (Dreiser)
Она... ушла, улыбаясь.
Reading is out of the question — I can't fix my attention on books. (Collins)
О чтении не может быть и речи — я не могу сосредоточить свое внимание на книгах.
To decide is to act.
Решить — значит начать действовать.
(b) in phrases, i.e. with one or several accompanying words (an object or an adverbial modifier to the verbal). The phrases form syntactic units serving as one part of the sentence.
A phrase should not be confused with a predicative construction: between the elements of 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.
The windows of the drawing-room opened to a balcony overlooking the garden. (Mansfield)
Окна гостиной выходили на балкон, с которого был виден сад.
She tried to tranquillize him by reading aloud. (Gaskell)
Она пыталась успокоить его тем, что читала ему вслух.
Not to disquiet his sister, he had said nothing to her of the matter. (Hardy)
Чтобы не встревожить сестру, он ничего не сказал ей об этом.
(c) in predicative constructions.
My mistress being dead..., I had to look out for a new place.
(Ch. Bronte)
Так как моя хозяйка умерла, мне пришлось искать другое место.
There is no mistake about his being a genius. (Shaw)
Не может быть никакого сомнения в том, что он — гений.
She heard him unbar the door and go out into the yard. (Hardy)
Она слышала, как он отодвинул засов и вышел во двор.
2.1.2 The Infinitive
The infinitive representing an action in its most general form is often treated as an initial form of the verb[5], but from the point of view of some linguists[6] the infinitive developed from the "Verbal noun,' which in 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 a double nature, nominal and verbal.
1. The nominal character of the infinitive is manifested in its syntactic functions. The infinitive can be used:
(a) as the subject of a sentence.
To go on like this was dangerous. (Galsworthy)
(b) as a predicative.
Her plan was now to drive to Bath during the night. (Hardy)
(c) as an object.
I have never learnt to read or write. (Collins)
2. The verbal characteristics of the infinitive are as follows:
(a) the infinitive of transitive verbs can take a direct object.
He ... began to feel some curiosity ... (Eliot)
(b) the infinitive can be modified by an adverb.
I cannot write so quickly.
(c) the infinitive has tense and aspect distinctions; the infinitive of transitive verbs has also voice distinctions.
In Modern English the infinitive has the following forms:
| Active | Passive | |
| Indefinite | to write | to be written |
| Continuous | to be writing | to be being written[7] |
| Perfect | to have written | to have been written |
| Perfect Continuous | to have been writing | to have been being written[8] |
The tense and aspect distinctions of the infinitive.
Like the tense distinctions of all verbals those of the infinitive are not absolute but relative.
1. 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.
I am glad to meet you. (Dreiser)
I was glad to see Mr. Paul. (Ch. Bronte)
Mr. Forsyte will be very glad to see you. (Galsworthy)
2. The Continuous Infinitive also denotes an action simultaneous with that expressed by the finite verb, but it is an action in progress. Thus the continuous infinitive is not only a tense form, but also an aspect form, expressing both time relations and the manner in which the action is presented.
They happened, at the moment, to be standing near a small conservatory at the end of the garden. (Collins)
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