Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Remember that non-finite forms do not have primary tense and the notion of finite-ness in grammar
literally means constrained / limited by grammatical tense. So, finite forms (the main verb in a clause, for
example) express past or present tense while non-finite forms do not.
C. The ANSWER : Often, yes. As Otto Jespersen said : “The infinitive seems more appropriate than the
gerund to denote the imaginative (unreal)”
The following points, (Extracted from George Yule , Explaining English Grammar, Oxford Univ. Press, 1998.)
may help us to see the differences more clearly:
1. to + verb –express future possibilities ; generally something that has not yet taken place
2. v+ing – situations described are treated as already in existence , not as future possibilities
3. when both infins. possible – with diff of meaning –(INF: more Verb-like actions; Gerunds more noun-like
events) FORGET, REMEMBER
vii. He forgot to take his medicine (he didn’t take it)
viii. He forgot taking his medicine (He took it and then forgot about having done so)
( Notice : INF : non-factual status, Gerund : “actually happened” status)
D. More Examples
ix. You must remember to pay the bills ( remember before you pay)
x. He stopped to buy magazines (stop before buy)
xi. We regret to say this (regret before say)
xii. You must remember paying bills (remember after pay)
xiii. He stopped buying magazines (stop after buying)
xiv. We regret saying that (regret after saying)
1
xv. I like to box / to dance/ to sing/ to ski
xvi. I like boxing / dancing/ singing/ skiing
(NOTE: In example (xv) the speaker is talking about herself as the agent performing the acts; in (xvi) it’s the
event , not the act that is the focus of information with the possibility that the speaker is herself not a
performer in the events.
E: SUMMARY :
to - V V -ing
FEATURES more verb-like more noun-like
no possessive modifier poss. modifier possible
specified agent likely no specified agent
F: FOR PRACTISE: The table given below is useful for practice with specific verbs:
(Main) verbs that Non-finite complements
can’t have an infinitive (Main) verbs that (Main) verbs that (Main) verbs that can be
or gerund after them; can be followed can be followed followed by
they can be followed only by to-V only by V-ing both to-V and V-ing
only by subordinator
“that” (ie. finite
content clauses)
argue agree avoid begin
assume allow consider cease
believe arrange detest continue
content beg enjoy dread
guess choose fancy forget
know decide finish hate
realize decline keep like
say hope postpone love
state offer practice prefer
suppose promise resent regret
think tell resist remember
wonder want suggest stop
2
Part 2 - NON-FINITE CLAUSES
EXERCISES – Reformulate the sentences by moving phrases/clauses around in order to avoid ambiguity. Add
any other words you might need.