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
The Perfect Gerund denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb
Syntax and semantics of verbals in English
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2. The Perfect Gerund denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb.
She denies having spoken with him.
Она отрицает, что говорила с ним.
He was ashamed of having shown even the slightest irritation. (Bennett)
Ему было стыдно, что он проявил раздражение, хотя и очень слабое.
However, a prior action is not always expressed by a Perfect Gerund; in some cases we find an Indefinite Gerund. This occurs after the verbs to remember, to excuse, to forgive, to thank and after the prepositions on (upon), after, and, without.
I don't remember hearing the legend before. (Hardy)
Я не помню, чтобы я когда-нибудь слышала эту легенду.
You must excuse my not answering you before. (Collins)
Вы должны извинить меня за то, что я не ответил вам раньше.
I thank you for restraining me just now. (Ch. Bronte)
Я благодарен вам за то, что вы сейчас помогли мне сдержаться.
On leaving the house we directed our steps to the nearest shade. . (Collins)
Выйдя из дома, мы направились в тень.
The Perfect Gerund may also be used after the above mentioned verbs and prepositions.
He did not remember having been in that room. (Galsworthy)
Он не помнил, чтобы когда-нибудь был в этой комнате.
The voice distinctions of the gerund.
The gerund of transitive verbs has special forms for the active and the passive voice.
He liked neither reading aloud nor being read aloud to. (Maugham)
Он не любил ни читать вслух, ни слушать чтение.
It is to be observed that after the verbs to want, to need, to deserve, to require and the adjective worth the gerund is used in the active form, though it is passive in meaning.
"The slums want attending to, no doubt," he said. (Galsworthy)
«Без сомнения, трущобами надо заняться», — сказал он.
He realized that his room needed painting.
Он понял, что его комнату надо покрасить.
Differences Between Gerund and the Participle/Verbal Noun
The gerund and the participle.
In most cases the differentiation between the gerund and the participle does not present any difficulty.
Unlike the participle the gerund may be preceded by a preposition, it may be modified by a noun in the possessive case or by a possessive pronoun; it can be used in the function of a subject, object, and predicative. In the function of an attribute and of an adverbial modifier both the gerund and the participle may be used, but the gerund in these functions is always preceded by a preposition.
There are cases, however, when the differentiation between the gerund and the participle presents some difficulty; for instance, it is not always easy to distinguish between a gerund as part of a compound noun and a participle used as an attribute to a noun. One should bear in mind that if we have a gerund as part of a compound noun, the person or thing denoted by the noun does not perform the action expressed by the ing-form: e.g. a dancing-hall (a hall for dancing), a cooking-stove (a stove for cooking), walking shoes, a writing-table, etc.[16]
If we have a participle used as an attribute the person denoted by the noun performs the action expressed by the mg-form: e.g. a dancing girl (a girl who dances), a singing child, etc.
However, there are cases which admit of two interpretations; for example a sewing machine may be understood in two ways: a machine for sewing and a machine which sews; a hunting dog may be a dog for hunting and a dog that hunts.
The gerund and verbal noun.
The gerund should not be confused with the verbal noun, which has the same suffix -ing. The main points of difference between the gerund and the verbal noun are as follows:
| 1. | Like all the verbals the gerund has a double character— nominal and verbal. | The verbal noun has only a nominal character. |
| 2. | The gerund is not used with an article. | The verbal noun may be used with an article. The making of a new humanity cannot be the privilege of a handful of bureaucrats. (Fox) I want you to give my hair a good brushing. (Hardy) |
| 3. | The gerund has no plural form. | The verbal noun may be used in the plural. Our likings are regulated by our circumstances. (Ch. Bronte) |
| 4. | The gerund of a transitive verb takes a direct object. He received more and more letters, so many that he had given up reading them. (Priestley) | A verbal noun cannot take a direct object; it takes a prepositional object with the preposition of. Meanwhile Gwendolen was rallying her nerves to the reading of the paper. (Eliot) |
| 5. | The gerund may be modified by an adverb. Drinking, even temperately, was a sin. (Dreiser) | The verbal noun may be modified by an adjective. He (Tom) took a good scolding about clodding Sid. (Twain ) |
Chapter 2 Syntax and Semantics of English Verbals
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