Infinitive Complement Clauses

Infinitive constructions represent a complex, diversified type of embedded sentences. As with

That complements, the NP position in the sentence is filled out by a sentence constituent, i.e.
an infinitive construction. The characteristic marker of an infinitive construction is the
complementizer to, with several variants: for-to, to.
It now remains for the scientists to analyse all evidence they have acquired.
Russians have always expected their novelists to produce the political consensus of
their time.
The conversion of sentences into infinitive constructions entails important modifications in
the form of the complement. The most important change that the sentence suffers is the loss
of tense distinctions. Tense is an obligatory constituent of independent sentences; loss of
tense is a powerful indication of subordination and nominalization of the sentence.
The infinitive complement is thus a non-finite clause. The auxiliary constituent retains,
however, all aspectual distinctions:
To have done so on consecutive nights was a triumph indeed.
They are known to be doing so by kind permission of the Chief Constable.
He expected her to have been reading at the time.

The subject of the infinitive clause

All infinitive complements have underlying subjects. It may (subject) suffer modifications
such as:
1) The infinitive retains its own subject in surface structure. In this case the subject is
preceded by for and acquires accusative form. This is the traditionally called for-to Infinitive
Construction.
It was considered disgraceful for him to dine anywhere but in the hall.
2) The infinitive clause may lose its subject by means of Deletion Rules: the complement
subject may be co-referential with some NP called Equivalent NP Deletion. (Equi Deletion)
They may have forgotten to answer the invitation.
3) The complement subject may be semantically indefinite, underlying deletion under
indefiniteness (The rule of One Deletion).
To see is to believe.
4) The infinitive clause retains its subject, but the complement subject becomes a member of
the matrix clause where it functions as subject or object. This is the case of “Acc with
Infinitive’ or ‘Nominative with Infinitive’ construction.
I saw him cross the street. (Acc + Inf)
He seems to be tired. (Nom + Inf)
 The Distribution of Infinitive Construction
Patterns based on for-to complementation;
Patterns based on to complementation;
The Infinitive Complement as Subject
a) An infinitive clause may be subject of intransitive verbs: remain, suffice, will do, be.
It remains to choose a leader. (the subject clause is extraposed)
For me to interfere either way would be rude.
To restore and even to extend this practice would be a real advantage.
b) An infinitive clause may be subject of adjectives: possible, impossible, likely, necessary,
normal, essential, unpleasant etc.
It is impossible for there to be a war between your country and mine.
After all, it was no uncommon for an Earl’s daughter to marry a commoner.
c) An infinitive clause may be subject of Nouns: a pleasure, an advantage, a tragedy, time
etc.
It would be a good idea to do that.
d) Infinitive complement clauses may function as subject of several clauses of transitive
verbs: to bother, to distress, to embarrass.
For Fred to have hallucination bothers me.
It bothers me for Fred to have hallucinations.
Infinitive Clauses as Direct Object
a) Infinitive clauses may function as DO after verbs such as:
- aspectual verbs: begin, start, continue, cease.
He began to write his essay.
- verbs of responsibility, control or success of an action: learn, attempt, manage,
return. Would she attempt to carry it further?
- verbs of liking and disliking: desire, like, dislike, hate, prefer.
He preferred to see his friend relaxed in a pub./ I would like to know him better.
- there is a group of mental state verbs and verbs of linguistic communication that
have an alternative That Complement Construction: remember, forget, regret, ask,
conclude, claim, suggest.
They had concluded not to say anything about it.
 They had concluded that they would say nothing about it.

The Infinitive Construction as P.O

Verbs: apply for, consent to, persist in, insist on, plead for, pray for, bother about, long for,
fail in, care for, etc.
He consented for John to go.
He will be pleased for you to walk over his lands at any time.
Adjectives: able, anxious, afraid, eager, careful, conceived, proud, glad, sorry, fit, inclined,
angry, welcome, ready, willing, pleased, content, certain.
I would be sorry for John to fail the exam.
I was eager for them to succeed.
For-to Construction as Predicative
A solution would be for the shops to open at noon and close about 9 p.m.
To see is to believe.
For her to do it would be to lose her reputation.
His principal pastime is to drive into the country.
For-to Complement as Attributes
Infinitive complements may subcategorize simple nouns: right, idea, power, instinct or
nominalization: wish, desire, ability, capacity etc.
We didn’t give up because we believed in the American dream and in our power to
make that dream came true.
I had no desire to revive old memories.
To Complementation
Infinitive constructions based on Raising transformations (i.e. Subject to Object Raising
and Subject to Subject Raising).
These rules are involved in the production of a class of patterns known in traditional
grammars as The Accusative + Infinitive Construction or The Nominative + Infinitive
Construction.
The Accusative + Infinitive Construction is the direct result of Subject to Object Raising
(this is the rule that moves the subject of an embedded clause into the main clause where it
becomes either the subject of the main clause, for intransitive verbs, or the D.O of the main
clause for transitive verbs).
She believes that Bill is honest.
She believes Bill to be honest.
The Nominative + Infinitive Construction is the direct result of Subject to Subject Raising
or the result of Passivizing the main clause after SOR:
It seems that she is honest.
She seems to be honest
She is believed to be honest.
These two Raising transformations may be followed by a transformation of TO BE deletion.
The following three constructions are obtained by TO BE deletion after SOR.
The Accusative+ Present Participle construction results from a deletion of progressive BE.
[She saw Bill] [to be running] =>> She saw Bill running.
The Accusative + Past Participle construction results from a deletion of passive BE.
[She had her tooth] [to be extracted] =>> She had her tooth extracted.
The Accusative+ (Derived) Object Complement construction results from the deletion of the
link verb BE.
[I consider him] [to be a genius] =>> I consider him a genius.
Application of main clause passivization to these constructions or of SSR and TO BE
deletion derives the corresponding Nominative + V constructions:
Nominative + Present Participle
She was heard mentioning your name.
Nominative + Past Participle: He was found killed by a bomb.
Nominative + (Derived) Subject Complement: He was considered a genius. He seems sad.

The Domain of Raising Constructions

The first class of SOR triggers includes verbs of attitude with the human subject and the D.O
in the deep structure: assure, believe, consider, think, suppose, remember, find, imagine,
fancy.
They suspect that he is the murderer.
They suspect him to be the murderer.
I know him to be a fool.
Helen knows herself dismissed.
A second class of SOR triggers includes causative verbs: cause, get, have, make, let. These
verbs do not have alternative That constructions:
This almost caused Jane to faint with terror. (Acc + Inf)
 I’ll have you speaking fluent English. (Acc + Present Participle)
I must get my hair cut. (Acc + Past Participle)
A third class of ‘raisers’ includes verbs of permission and command: allow, beg, ask,
command, order, dictate, bear, permit.
I allowed John to smoke in the room. (Acc + Inf)
I will not bear a lie told to another in my presence. (Acc + Past Participle)
Another class of ‘raisers’ is that of verbs of liking and disliking: love, like, prefer, wish,
desire, intend.
I don’t like women to smoke. (Acc + Inf)
Of course, I would prefer you to enjoy yourself.
Mister Smith wished the tree cut down. (Acc + Past Participle)
The last important class of SOR triggers includes verbs of physical perception: see, hear,
overhear, watch, feel, find, notice.
We saw John cross the street. (Acc + Inf)
I watched her entering. (Acc + Present Participle)
I’ve heard it said. (Acc + Past Participle)
I saw him led through the hall. (Acc + Past Participle)
Subject to Subject Raising: (these are cases when the raised subject becomes subject of the
matrix)
Active verbs and adjectives which accept Nominative + Inf. Constr.: seem, happen, appear,
turn out, likely, sure, certain.
It happens that he knows English.
He happens to know English.
Are they likely to have heard the announcement?
Some of these verbs may govern to be deletion and this occurs in the Nominative + Subject
Complement Pattern.
He seems tired. (Noun + Subject Complement)
He appeared ignorant.
Intransitive verbs that trigger SSR:
a) inchoative verbs: become, grow, remain, go, stay.
There came to be twenty families in the valley. (Nominative + Inf)
b) aspectual verbs: continue, begin, start, stop.
 It was beginning to rain when he left.
There continued to be nobles in London.
John began to be annoyed by the noise.
c) The two verbal phrases: had better, had best, which are followed by a short infinitive will
also be included in the class of SS triggers.
You’d better leave now.
d) The verb be + adjective constructions show typical properties of SSR triggers: to be bound
to, to be apt to, to be suggested to, to be going to:
The train is bound to come in time.