1. The Greeks seem to have known / to have been known papyrus as early as the beginning of the 5th century BC. 2. A Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk, was marooned ( ) on one of the islands between 1704 and 1709, and his experiences are supposed to have inspired / to be inspired the novel Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe. 3. Let her do / to do it herself. She is considered to be / being a careful researcher and can't stand being helped. 4. You look rather tired. You are unlikely to have finished / to finish the work in time. You had better going / go home now. 5. The pre-1914gold standard is considered by many to be / to have been the golden age of international monetary arrangements at the beginning of the 20th century. 6. He wants the book to return / to be returned tomorrow. 7. He was made to leave / leave the town and did not want to spend the last money on renting an apartment in the suburbs. 8. If the manufacturer wants his goods to sell / to be sold, he must maintain quality.
Ex. 5. Choose the correct option. Translate the sentences with Complex Subject.
1. , 15 .
2. , 10 .
3. , .
4. .
5. , .
6. , .
7. , .
8. , 15 .
9. .
10. , .
11. , , .
12. , .
13. , .
14. , .
Ex. 6. How can you finish these sentences?
1. It would be useful for them to know
2. It is advisable for him to find out
3. It is necessary for us to check
4.2. / Gerund
THE GERUND
The Gerund is a non-finite form which has developed from a verbal noun. It is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the stem of the verb. It has double nature combining nominal and verbal properties.
The Gerund has the following nominal characteristics:
1. The Gerund can be used in the function of subject, object, predicative.
e.g. Trying to get a job at this time of the year was useless.
She hates s moking. One of her duties was feeding the landladys cats.
2. The Gerund can be proceeded by a preposition.
e.g. I can't defend this case without telli ng the truth.
3. The Gerund can be modified by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun. My (my uncle) coming to work for him, was the subject of their conversation.
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The Gerund has the following verbal characteristics:
1. The Gerund of transitive verbs con take a direct object.
e.g. I know my father would like taking David in from the rain.
2. The Gerund can be nullified by an adverb.
e.g. Without really reading it she put the letter aside.
The Gerund has tense distinctions which are relative, not absolute.
The Indefinite Gerund denotes an action simultaneous with - that of the finite verb and may refer to the Present, Past of Future.
e.g. You couldn't blame Abby for being nervous.
You can't blame her for bei ng nervous. Nobody will blame her for being nervous: it is natural.
The Perfect Gerund denotes an action which is prior to that of the finite verb.
e.g. She denied having e ver boon there.
After the verbs to remember, to excuse, to forgive, to thank and after the prepositions on, upon, aftert without the Indefinite Gerund is used to denote a prior action in most cases.
e.g. 1 remember him doing the same for me as a child. On seeing the child she smiled.
The Indefinite Gerund is used to denote a prior action, when the context makes the meaning of priority clear.
e g. Didn't they tell you about him k illing his wife and co mmitting suicide?
4. The Gerund of transitive verbs has voice distinctions After the verbs to want, to need, to dese rve, to require and the adjectiv e worth th e activ e form of the Gerund is used though it is passive in meaning.
e.g. To do so may result in being torn to pieces later on. The rest of her life was going to be worth living.
The forms of the Gerund
| Active | Passive | |
| Indefinite | doing | being done |
| Perfect | having done | having been done |
Note: Subjective (non-transitive) verbs have only two forms of the Gerund. They have no passive forms.
| Active gerund | Passive gerund |
| I hate interrupting people | I hate being interrupted |
| On telling me the time, he turned away | On being told some impossible hour, he turned away |
| I am not used to talking in that way | I am not used to being talked to in that way |
| He entered without having knocked at the door | The door opened without having been knocked on |
The perfect passive gerund is very rarely used.
There are some verbs (to need, to want, to require, to deserve) and the adjective worth which are followed by an active gerund with passive meaning.
Your hair needs cutting.
This house wants painting.
Your suggestion is worth talking over.
| Gerund | Finite verb |
| I remember your telling me the story five years ago | You told me the story five years ago |
| John dreams of becoming a sailor | John became a sailor |
| We enjoyed walking slowly along the silent streets | We walked slowly along the silent streets |
| I never argue about trifles | Its no use arguing about trifles |
| We hope he will be able to join us | There is some chance of his being able to join us |
