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 clauses
3. -ed participle
3.1 use of ed participle
3.2 ed participle clauses
4. 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.
Id 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.

Im 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 couldnt help crying when she heard the news.
I cant 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 cant bear living alone.
I cant 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 cant 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 cant help doing it.
I cant 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 bored traveler
a lost cause
The ruled class

a freezing wind
a boring journey
a losing battle
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.
Its 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 dont 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 didnt 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 wont 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 doesnt
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 starting
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
64.________at in his way, the situation does not seem so desperate.
A. Looking B. looked C. Being looked D. to look
2009 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 there to be there being.
there to be for
Its important for there to be no suspicion between us. (For there to be no
suspicion between us is important.)

for there to be it

I expect there to be a party in our company tomorrow.

Our hope is for there to be a peaceful world.

there being

There being so large a population in so small a district is a heavy burden.

I never dreamed of there being so many animals in the mountains here.

There being no bus, we had to walk there.