Lecture 7

Infinitive Complements (4)

The internal structure of

the infinitive clause

The subject of the infinitive
clause
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause

Unlike verb tenses – the infinitive does not
show the exact time of an event/action – it
has no temporal features

It is a non-finite mood – no agreement
features with the Subject (it cannot assign
case)

The infinitive clause is marked by the
inflection TO
• originally (in Old English), TO was a preposition in the
Dative, showing direction, orientation of an event;
• the preposition TO meant ‘toward’ and pointed to the
goal toward which the activity of the main verb was
directed
The internal structure of the
infinitive clause
• the infinitive was originally a verbal noun in the
dative, which later acquired verbal properties
‘Jealousy drove him to do it’ – meant ‘drove him
toward the doing of it’
‘I am ready to do it’- meant ‘ready in the direction
of doing it’
• in Middle English the dative preposition TO
turned into a tense/mood marker
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause
• TO is an inflection head –
• this is apparent in the distribution of infinitive
complements (IPs) and their meaning – they show
potential action in the future (irrealis future)
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause

There is no tense in the infinitive clause;
BUT! Control constructions may denote a time sphere
of their own (different from the time sphere of the
main clause):
He decided yesterday [PRO to go to London next year.]
past reference future adverbial

There are no modal verbs in infinitive clauses

(modals appear only in the context of [-s], [-ed]
(being defective) [+Present], [+Past] features
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause

However, infinitive constructions have aspect &
voice:
- Active: progressive: be –ing:
It seems to be raining.
- Active: prefect: be – en:
It seems to have been raining.
- Passive: to be + past participle:
Theory seems to be applied perfectly.
- Passive: to have been + past participle:
She appeared to have been ill for a while.
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause

TO can be omitted (bare infinitive is used):
• after conjunctions:
• He advised me to sit back and enjoy the
show.

• after why (not):

• Why not ask Mrs Bailey for advice?
• Why solve this exercise easily if it can be
done in a more complicated way?
• after verbs of physical perception (see, watch,
hear, feel, smell):
We watched him cross the street.
I felt him tremble.
They heard him insult her.
• after causative verbs like: let, make, have:
Please, let me go home.
Father made him leave.
I’ll have you do your homework.
 The internal structure of the
infinitive clause

Another special form: the split infinitive
• Usually an adverb interferes between to and
the main verb:
• I asked him to silently close the door.
• In order to fully appreciate the article, you should
read it more carefully.
• In order to better understand the split infinitive, it
is imperative for you to read the second paragraph
again.
Classes of verbs which allow exhaustive
and partial control:
1. Desiderative verbs (including exercitive verbs):
want, prefer, yearn, arrange, hope, be afraid,
refuse, agree, plan, aspire, decide, mean, intend,
resolve, strive, demand, promise, choose, offer,
eager, ready:
He decided for her to be given a grant.
(He decided that she should be given a grant.)
The captain ordered the soldiers to shoot the
prisoners.
(The captain ordered that the soldiers should shoot
the prisoners.)
Tom promised Mary PRO to give her the money.
(Tom promised Mary that he would give her the
money.)
2. Interrogative verbs: wonder, ask, find
out, interrogate, inquire, contemplate,
deliberate, guess, understand, know,
unclear:
Tom wondered whether [to buy that car.]
(Tom wondered whether he should buy that car.)
3. Evaluative complements (adjectives):
good, bad:
It is good for him to marry her.
(It is good that he should marry her.)
4. Emotive predicates: irritate, bother, surprise;
Factives: glad, sad, regret, like, dislike, hate, loath;
surprised, shocked, sorry:
It would surprise me for him to go there.
(It would surprise me that he should go there.)
I like it for you to be slim.
(I like that you should be slim.)
I would love for you to have a house with a
swimming pool.
(I would love that you should have a house with
a swimming pool.)
5. Implicative verbs: manage, attempt, try, persuade,
force:
He managed [PRO to leave.] – He left.
He forced her to go away. – He went away.
He persuaded her to stay. – She stayed.
- one time sphere, one event
BUT! He decided [PRO to leave.] – 2 different time
spheres, 2 events; decide – not an implicative verb
6. Aspectual verbs: begin, start, continue:
She began to cry. – She cried
She continued to cry. – She cried
- the event of ‘continue’ cannot be separated
from ‘crying’; main verb + complement verb = one
entity (a real event) - indicative paraphrase
The Subject of Infinitive Clauses
a) PRO-TO constructions:
- The infinitive lacks an overt subject (it is subjectless)
She tried [PRO to arrive in time.]
She promised her mother [PRO to study for the exam.]
The company persuaded him [PRO to resign.]
- Even if the S is not phonologically expressed –
we can interpret the S in function of its controller
- Control theory argues that an argument of the main
verb controls the S of the infinitive
- As the main verb may have more arguments (2 or 3)
– we need the principle of proximity to decide which
argument is the controller (the closest obligatory
argument)
The Subject of PRO-TO
constructions
- The subject of the infinitive clause is the
generic pronoun PRO (empty category,
having no phonological features) - it can
appear in ungoverned configurations (as it
does not need case)

- The infinitive inflection lacks agreement

features and consequently cannot assign
case to its subject (PRO is ungoverned and
caseless)
The Subject of FOR-TO
constructions
b) FOR-TO constructions:
- We have an overtly expressed S;

- FOR: prepositional complementizer

- semantically FOR differentiates this S from

the S of the main clause
- syntactically FOR assigns case to it:
I want [for you to succeed.]
S1 C0 S2
The Subject of the Nominative +
Infinitive Constructions
c) Nominative + Infinitive constructions
SSR (Subject to Subject Raising) – only when the
main verb selecting this construction is an ergative
verb with a single object argument and the place of
the S is empty (the subject of the infinitive clause
raises to the main clause);
- Only ergative verbs allow SSR (only ergative verbs
have a free S position)
Bill seems to enjoy the party.
(Bill seems that he is enjoying the party.)
- The subject of the main clause is selected by the
infinitive (it is θ-marked by the infinitive)
The Subject of the Accusative +
Infinitive Constructions
d) Accusative + Infinitive constructions:
SOR (Subject to Object Raising): the Subject of the
infinitive becomes the object of the main clause
BUT! There is no semantic relation between the object
and the predicate of the main clause

I believe Mary to be honest. (*I believe Mary.)

(I believe that Mary is honest.)
They considered the prisoner to be a traitor.
(They considered that the prisoner was a traitor.)