INFINITIVES

SEEM + INFINITIVE
PASSIVE + INFINITIVE
Jelena Basta

e-mail: jelena.basta@eknfak.ni.ac.rs

Types of infinitives
For the purpose of our class we will need 3
types of infinitive (although there are more
than 3 ):
Type of Infinitive
Form
Simple Infinitive
to work, to fall (to
+ verb)

Progressive/Continu to be working, to
ous Infinitive
be falling (to be +
verb+ing)
Perfective Infinitive

to have worked, to
have fallen (to
HAVE + past
always HAVE, never HAS, because this is an
participle)
infinitive

Seem+ infinitive
Main clause
Dependent clause
It seems (that) they own a company.
They seem to own a company.
The subject of the dependent clause goes first.
Then we add the verb SEEM (in the suitable
person here we omitted S because of the
plural). We look at the tense of the verb

seem and the verb from the dependent

clause. If they are in the SAME tense, we
use the SIMPLE INFINTIVE after the verb!!!

Seem + infinitive
Main clause Dependent clause
It seems (that) the prices are rising.
The prices seem to be rising.
First, write the subject of the dependent
clause. Then, add the verb SEEM (in the
same tense as in the main clause, BUT pay
attention to the person!!!). Finally, add the
infinitive. If the verb in the dependent
clause is in the CONTINOUS aspect, write
the PROGRESSIVE/ CONTINOUS infinitive.

Seem+ infinitive
Main clause
Dependent clause
It seems (that) he stole the jewellery.
He seems to have stolen the jewellery.
The same rule again: write the subject of the
dependent clause, write the verb SEEM in
the suitable tense and person. Finally, if the
verb of the dependent clause is in the
older(Past Simple -stole) tense than the
verb in the main clause (Present Simple
seems), use the PERFECT INFINITIVE!!!

Seem + infinitive
The same rule as in the previous case will
be valid for the following sentence:
It seems (that) the prices have risen.
The priceS seem to have risen.
Why? Because the Present Perfect Tense in
the dependent clause (have risen) is
considered to be older than the Present
Simple Tense (seems) in the main clause.

Seem + infinitive
To sum up the rules:
Verbs in the main and
dependent clause

Type of
infinitive

The SAME tense of the verb in

both the main and the
dependent clause

Simple infinitive

The verb in the main clause in

the SIMPLE aspect and the
verb in the dependent clause
in the CONTINOUS aspect (but
in the same tense).

Progressive/
Continuous
infinitive

The verb in the dependent

clause in the older tense
than the verb in the main

Perfective
infinitive

Seem + infinitive
Take a look at some other cases:
It seemed (that) John was a liar.
John seemed to be a liar.
This example follows the above-mentioned rules.
We kept the tense of the verb seem (here, it is
the past simple). Then, we take a look at the verb
in the dependent clause, and see it is in the Past
Simple Tense. Since the verbs in the main and
dependent clause are in the SAME tense, we used
SIMPLE infinitive.

Seem + infinitive
It seemed (that) the inflation was growing.
The inflation seemed to be growing.
Here, we had the PAST tense in both the
main and dependent clause. BUT, the
aspect was different. We had the PAST
CONTINOUS tense in the dependent
clause. That is why we used the
PROGRESSIVE/ CONTINOUS infinitive.

Seem + infinitive
It seemed (that) the children had broken the
vase.
The children seemed to have broken the vase.
Here we used the PERFECTIVE infinitive
because the verb in the dependent clause
(had broken) was in the older tense than
the verb in the main clause (seemed). In the
main clause we had the Past Simple Tense,
while we had the Past Perfect in the
dependent clause.

Seem + infinitive
To refer to the future, we use the SIMPLE
infinitive.
It seems they will improve the production
process.
They seem to improve the production process.
We used SEEM and NOT seems because of
the subject they. We used SIMPLE infinitive
to refer to the action expressed by some
future tense.

Passive + infinitive
The rules for the passive + infinitive
construction are the same as the rules for
seem+ infinitive construction.
Take a look at the sentence:
Main clause
Dependent clause
It is believed (that) they work as managers.
Passive Voice Present Simple
Simple Tense
the same tense

Present

Passive + infinitive
It is believed (that) they work as managers.
They ARE believed to work as managers.
Explanation: We used ARE believed here
because the subject they is in plural. Then,
we observed the two verbs (the ones in the
main and dependent clause). Since BOTH
verbs are in the SAME tense (Present Simple),
we will use the SIMPLE infinitive. N.B. Even
though the verb in the main clause is in the
PASSIVE voice, it is still in the present.

Passive + infinitive
Present Simple- Passive

Present Continuous

It is said (that) inflation

is increasing.

Inflation is said

to be rising.

Here, we chose PROGRESSIVE/ CONTINUOUS

infinitive, because the verb in the
dependent sentence is in the same tense as
the verb in the main clause, BUT in the
CONTINUOUS aspect.

Passive + infinitive
Present Simple- Passive
Past Simple
It is claimed (that) two companies lost a lot of
money.
Two companIES ARE claimed to have lost a lot of
ARE and NOT is because of the plural
subject
We used the PERFECTIVE INFINITIVE (to have lost)
because the verb in the dependent clause is in the
older tense (past simple) than the verb in the main
clause (present simple).

Passive + infinitive
Past Simple passive Past Simple
It was thought they possessed a real small
fortune.
They WERE thought to possess a real small
fortune.
WERE (NOT was) because of the plural
subject
SIMPLE infinitive, because both clauses contain
the SAME tense (past simple).

Passive + infinitive
Past Simple passive Past Continuous
It was said they were planning a major
investment.
They WERE said
investment.

to be planning a major

Both the verb in the main and the dependent

clause are in the SAME tense, BUT the verb in
the dependent clause is in the CONTINUOS
aspect. That is why we used the
PROGRESSIVE/CONTINOUS infinitive.

Passive + infinitive
Past Simple Past Perfect
It was thought the board had made a decision.
The board was thought to have made a
decision.
WAS because of the singular subject
We used the PERFECTIVE INFINITIVE (to have made)
because the verb in the dependent clause is in the
older tense (past perfect) than the verb in the
main clause (past simple).

Passive + infinitive
And finally, to refer to the future, we use
the SIMPLE infinitive.
It is believed that the company will enlarge.
The company is believed

to enlarge.

Passive + infinitive
We use the passive + infinitive:
1.when the statement is speculative (the
information is not confirmed)
e.g. Many investment banks are believed
to have suffered losses in recent months.
2.
mainly in newspaper reporting
e.g. The Hungarian economy is expected
to expand by 6% over the next two years.

3.
with verbs such as:
SAY, THINK, ALLEGE, CONSIDER, BELIEVE,
REPORT, RUMOUR, SUPPOSE, KNOW,
EXPECT, UNDERSTAND, THINK, etc.

HOMEWORK

Course book: Revise the exercise Seem +

infinitive, pp. 108-109
Work book: Do the exercises on pp. 67-69