- •Introduction
- •Unit I. The Gerund What is the Gerund? How to distinguish it from the Participle I and the Verbal Noun?
- •Grammatical categories of the Gerund
- •Syntactical functions of the Gerund
- •Unit II. Gerundial Constructions
- •Unit III. The Participle I
- •Grammatical categories of the Participle I
- •Syntactical functions of the Participle I
- •The Functions of the Participle II in the Sentence
- •1. Attribute.
- •Unit IV. Participle II (Past Participle)
- •2. Adverbial Modifier
- •3. Predicative
- •Parenthesis
- •Dangling or Misrelated Participle
- •Unit V. Constructions with the Participle
- •The Objective Participial Construction (opc)
- •The Subjective Participial Construction (spc)
- •The Absolute Participial Construction (apc)
- •Unit VI. Participle I or Participle II Review Exercises
- •Unit VII. The Infinitive
- •II. The morphological features of the infinitive (The forms of the infinitive)
- •The Particle “to”.
- •The use of the infinitive without the particle “to” (The bare infinitive)
- •The Syntactical Functions of the Infinitive.
- •2A. The infinitive as part of a predicative.
- •Phrasal.
- •5. The infinitive as attribute
- •The infinitive as adverbial modifier
- •The infinitive as parenthesis.
- •Revision
- •Unit VIII. Infinitive Constructions
- •The objective with the infinitive construction
- •Ways of translating the construction into Russian
- •The subjective infinitive construction
- •Revision
- •Review of Non-Finite Forms
- •Список литературы
- •153003, Г.Иваново, ул. Рабфаковская, 34.
Grammatical categories of the Gerund
The Gerund has the grammatical categories of tense and voice.
Table 1. Grammatical categories of tense and voice
Voice
Tense |
Active
|
Passive |
Indefinite
|
asking
|
being asked |
Perfect
|
having asked |
having been asked |
The active form of the gerund indicates that the doer of the action is denoted by the subject of the sentence, the passive form – that the doer of the action is not denoted by the subject.
I’m looking forward to sending my children to the country for the holiday. – Я очень хочу отправить детей в деревню на каникулы.
I’m looking forward to being sent to London on business. – Я очень хочу, чтобы меня отправили в Лондон в командировку.
Note: In certain cases the gerund though active in form may be passive in meaning. It occurs when the gerund is used after the verbs “want”, “need”, “deserve”, “require” and after the adjective “worth”.
The house needs painting. – Этот дом необходимо покрасить.
This museum is worth visiting. – Этот музей стоит посетить.
The perfect form is used to present the event as prior to another event (expressed by the predicate verb).
I’m surprised at your having missed so many lessons this term. – Я удивлен, что ты пропустил …
The non-perfect form is generally used to present the event as non-prior to another event (simultaneous, posterior or referring to no particular time).
I’m surprised at his missing lessons so often. – Я удивлен, что он пропускает …
Ex.3. Use the gerund of the verb in brackets in the active or passive form.
(talk) to him was like (play) upon the exquisite violin.
You couldn’t look at her without (strike) by her modesty.
The prospect of (spend) the whole week with Michael was enchanting.
I hate (bother) with silly questions.
She objected to (treat) as if she were a child.
The door opened quietly and he went without (say) a word.
Your hair is very long. It needs (cut).
His answer was very good. The boy deserves (praise).
Our educational system is out-of-date. It needs (reform).
They say the film is very boring. It is not worth (see).
His remark was very witty. It is worth (quote).
Ex.4. Use the gerund of the verb in brackets in the perfect or non-perfect form.
The fact of (meet) you will teach him to despise her husband.
The idea seemed ridiculous but she kept on (think) about it.
I am very glad that my University sent me to the USA to study. I’m pleased at (give) the opportunity to learn about the culture of this country.
You must do this job on time. I insist on (do) it.
He complained about (send) them the wrong parcel the day before.
I remember (read) something about it in the paper.
Ex. 5. Translate the sentences into English.
Не стоит обсуждать эту статью.
Он нуждается в уходе, как ребенок.
Этому дому требуется ремонт.
Наше общество нуждается в реформах.
Она работает очень усердно, ее нужно похвалить.
Этот роман не стоило переводить на русский язык.
Они делают успехи, их нужно поощрить.
По мнению лорда Генри, в Лондоне было только пять женщин, достойных, чтобы с ними разговаривали.
В комнате беспорядок, ее нужно убрать.
Further reading: Azar B.S. Understanding and Using English Grammar. Pp. 178 –181.