The Infinitive as part of a compound predicate

1.

The Infinitive as part of a
compound verbal predicate

A compound predicate = structural part +
notional part
• The structural part carries grammatical
information - the person, number,
tense, voice, mood.
• The notional part carries lexical
meaning.
! The infinitive is used as the notional
part of a compound predicate.

3.

A compound verbal predicate:
a) a compound verbal modal
predicate
b) a compound verbal aspect
predicate

4.

The Infinitive as part of
a compound verbal modal predicate
a compound verbal modal predicate
= a modal verb (structural part) +
any form of the infinitive
(notional part)
She can sing.
She might have done it.

5.

The Infinitive as part of
a compound verbal aspect predicate
a compound verbal aspect predicate
= an aspect / phasal verb (structural
part) + non-perfect common
infinitive, active (notional part)
She began to sing.
She ceased to do it.

6.

Aspect verbs:
- begin, start, commence, come
- continue
- used to, cease
! Used to do smth - a compound
verbal aspect predicate
! Would do smth - a compound
verbal modal predicate

7.

1. Give morphological characteristics of the
following forms of the Infinitive:
To be taken,
to have been done,
to stay,
to have been cleaning,
to be working, to have read, to say,
to be told, to be walking,
to have been washed,
to be learnt,
to have been arguing,
to look,
to have arrived.

8.

2. State the function of the Infinitive in
the following sentences:
1. She is pleasant to listen to.
2. My aim is to work hard.
3. It’s very pleasant to listen to them.
4. To discuss problems with a friend is helpful.
5. He can’t have lost the keys.
6. They started to work.
7. It was compulsory to wear school uniform at our
school.
8. You had better stay at home today.
9. The pudding is easy to make.
10. Your next task is to check up the results.

9.

11. It is easy to deal with her.
12. To worry was useless.
13. I would rather go now.
14. It took her an hour to get there.
15. His behavior is difficult to explain.
16. They used to travel a lot.
17. All they wanted was to make themselves
understood.
18. It’s my duty to ask you questions.
19. The quickest way of ending a war is to lose
it.
20. The house was charming to look at.