The function of infinitive and gerund construction in a sentence - Курсовая работа

The function of infinitive and gerund construction in a sentence Content Introduction 1. General characteristic of the verb 1.1 Finite form of the verb 1.2 Non-Finite form of the verb 2. Infinitive 2.1 The use of infinitive 2.2 The function of infinitive 2.3 Infinitive construction 3. Gerund 3.1 The use of gerund 3.2 The function of gerund 4. The gerund and verbal nouns Conclusion Bibliography Introduction The verb is the most complex grammatical class of words. It is the only part of speech in English that has a morphological system based on the six categories: person, number, tense, aspect, voice, and mood. Besides, there are two sets of verb-forms, essentially different from each other: the finite forms and the non-finite forms (infinitive, gerund, participle I, participle II). The verb performs the central role in the expression of predication, i. e. the connection between the situation described in the sentence and reality. The categorical meaning of the verb is a process presented dynamically, that is, developing in time. It is the semantic characteristic of all verbs both in finite and non-finite forms. The difference in the functional aspect is that the finite verb with its categories of tense, aspect, voice, and mood always performs the function of the verb-predicate in the sentence while the non-finite forms are used in the functions of the syntactic subject, object, adverbial modifier, attribute. The English verbals include four forms: the infinitive, the gerund, the present participle (Participle I), and the past participle (Participle II). Verbals or the non-finite forms of the verb are the forms of the verb intermediary in many of their lexico-grammatical features between the verb and the non-procession parts of speech. They render processes as peculiar kinds of substances and properties. But the verbals, unable to express the predicative meanings of time and mood, still do express the secondary predication (potential predication, semi predication) forming syntactic complexes directly related to certain types of subordinate clauses. The particle to can be separated from the infinitive, forming the so-called “split infinitive”, The infinitive is capable of expressing the categorical meanings of aspect and voice. 2.1 The use of infinitive In Modern English the infinitive is used with the particle to. In Old English it was a preposition used with the infinitive in the dative case to indicate purpose. Still there are cases of so-called bare infinitive is used. 1 After auxiliary verbs. e.g We shall go there at once. 2 After modal verbs except the verb ought. e.g If one cannot have what one loves, one must love what one has.(Wilson) 3 After a verb to let. e.g Let us be the best friends in the world.(Dickens) 4 After the verb to make. e.g. What makes you think so?(Carter) 5 After the expressions, had better, would rather, would sooner, cannot but, nothing but, e.g You had better go to bed and leave the patient to me.(Shaw) 6 As a modifier of a noun or adjective. This may relate to the meaning of the noun or adjective (a request to see someone; keen to get on), or it may form a type of non-finite relative clause, like in the man to save us; the method to use; nice to listen to. 7 In elliptical questions (direct or indirect): I dont know where to go. After why the bare infinitive is used: Why reveal it? 8 The infinitive is also the usual dictionary form or citation form of a verb. The form listed in dictionaries is the bare infinitive, although the to-infinitive is often used in referring to verbs or in defining other verbs: 2.2 The function of infinitive The infinitive can be used in different syntactic functions. 1.The infinitive as a subject. e.g. To doubt, under the circumstances, is almost to insult.(Ch.Bronte) 2. The infinitive as a predicative. e.g.My intention is to get into parliament.(Trollope) 3.The infinitive as an object. e.g Leilahad learned to dance at boarding school.(Mansfield) 4 The infinitive as part of a complex object. e.g I never saw you act this way before.(Dreiser) 4 The infinitive as an attribute. e.g.I have nobody to say a kind word to me. 5 The infinitive as an adverbial modifier of pupose, result,.comparison and manner. e.g. Laws were not made to be broken, laws were made to stay within.(Heym) e.g His eyes were sharp enough to look after his own interest.(Heym) e.g She nervously moved her hand towards his lips as if to stop him...(Dickens) 6 The infinitive as parenthesis. e.g He was rude to say the least of it.(Dreiser) 2.3 Infinitive constructions The infinitive may be found in the following predicative constructions: 1.the Objective Infinitive Construction. 2.the Subjective Infinitive Construction. 3.the For-to-Infinitive Construction. 1. The Objective Infinitive Construction. It is a construction in which the infinitive stands in predicate relation to a noun in the Common Case or a personal pronoun in the Objective Case.It is also known as Complex Object. e.g. Mary’s pare