UNIT 10:

NON-FINITE CLAUSES
Main Contents

PART 1: THE FORM OF NON-FINITE PART 2: THE FUNCTIONS OF NON-FINITE

CLAUSES CLAUSES
1. The form of non-finite verbs 1. Subject and extraposed subject

1.1. Infinitive verbs (Bare infinitive; To- 2. Complement of A in AP

infinitive) 3. Complement of P in PP
1.2. Participle verbs (Passive participle; 4. Adverbial
–ing participle) 5. Complement of N in NP
2. Complementizers and non-finite clauses 6. Modifier in NP
2.1. C1: for and whether 7. Complement of V
2.2. C2: fronted wh-phrases
PART 1:
THE FORM OF
NON-FINITE CLAUSES
PART 1: THE FORM OF NON-FINITE CLAUSES

A FINITE SENTENCE/ CLAUSE A NON-FINITE CLAUSE

• include a finite verb – tensed verb • include no tensed verb.

(auxiliary or lexical) • Be tenseless clauses

• Be main clauses • can only be subordinate

• The finite verbs must have an • lack one or more major overt (openly
overt (openly displayed) subject to displayed) NPs
agree with. • The non-finite verbs needn’t always
have an overt (openly displayed).

=> NP: covert ( not openly displayed). .

PART 1: THE FORM OF NON-FINITE CLAUSES

• There are two separate circumstances governing the occurrence of a covert NP:

(a) the reference of the NP is general (indefinite, non-specific)

(b) its reference is identical to a constituent in a higher (superordinate) clause

• Consider the following examples.

Can you identify the non-finite clauses, their verbs and subjects?
PART 1: THE FORM OF NON-FINITE CLAUSES

• When a covert NP is understood as identical to an overt

element in a higher clause, the higher overt element is said to
control the covert NP.

• A covert constituent that is not controlled is described as free.

1. THE FORM OF
NON-FINITE VERBS
1. The form of non-finite verbs

NON-FINITE VERBS

INFINITIVES PARTICIPLES

Passive
Bare Infinitives TO-Infinitives -ING Participles
Participles
1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.1.a. Bare infinitive verbs

• consist of the (untensed) stem of a lexical verb.

• lack the infinitive participle to.

E.g. All you have to do is take a rest.

• mark [-tense] feature on V (read as “minus tense).

1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.1.b. To-infinitive verbs

1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.2.a. Passive participle verbs

• a lexical verb in the passive
participle form (with a passive
meaning).

• [-tense] will appear as a feature

on V.
1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.2.b. –ing participle verbs

Auxiliaries can figure in –ing participle clauses.

1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.2.b. –ing participle verbs

• Non-finite clauses are called -ing participles, NOT progressive participles.

• Stative verbs cannot appear in the progressive participle form following

PROG be

• Stative verbs can appear in the non-finite –ing participle clauses

1.1. Infinitive verbs

1.2.b. –ing participle verbs

• Progressive be cannot precede perfect have, but perfect have can

assume the –ing participle form in non-finite clauses:

The –ing form that figures in non-finite clauses must be distinguished

from the progressive participle.
2. COMPLEMENTIZERS AND
NON-FINITE CLAUSES
2. Complementizers and Non-finite Clauses

Complementizer positions
in Non-finite clauses

The (unfronted)
The (fronted)
C1 complementizer
C2 WH-expressions
for and whether
2.1. C1: for and whether

• Only to-infinitive clauses can be introduced by the C1 interrogative

complementizer whether or a new C1 complementizer for.

• For figures overtly only in (to-infinitive) clauses with an overt subject:

• For is not always possible, in which case the C1 position will be empty:

• When the subject is a pronoun, as in [28], it has accusative/objective case form.

2.1. C1: for and whether

Here’s the phrase marker for

[26] For Angelo to get all the blame seems unfair.
2.1. C1: for and whether

• To-infinitive whether-clauses never have an overt subject.

• Their covert subject is controlled by the subject of the superordinate

clause:

• When the whether-clause is itself functioning as subject, the covert

subject is not controlled (it’s free):
2.2. C2: fronted wh-phrases

Non-finite
WH-clauses

Interrogative Relative
clauses clauses
2.2. C2: fronted wh-phrases

a. Non-finite Interrogative Clauses

Non-finite wh-interrogative clauses can only be to-infinitive and always

have a covert subject:
2.2. C2: fronted WH-phrases

Here’s the phrase marker for the subordinate clause in [33]:

2.2. C2: fronted WH-phrases

b. Non-finite Relative Clauses

• Fronted WH-phrase is never overt in non-finite relative clauses.

 All forms of non-finite verbs are permitted in non-finite relative

clauses except the bare infinitive.
2.2. C2: fronted WH-phrases

They can be identified as (non-finite) relative clauses because:

• They are functioning as modifiers within NP (modifiers of NOM)

• They always have a gap created by the fronting of a covert wh-phrase (to C2).

Here are the closest corresponding finite clauses of these non-finite relative clauses:
2.2. C2: fronted WH-phrases

Here’s the phrase marker for [39b] for you to review

PART II: THE FUNCTIONS
OF NON-FINITE CLAUSES
Part II: The functions of non-finite clauses

1. Subject and extraposed subject

2. Complement of A in AP

3. Complement of P in PP

4. Adverbial

5. Complement of N in NP

6. Modifier in NP

7. Complement of V
1. Subject and Extraposed Subject

What is extraposed subject?

Notice that –ing participle clauses with overt subject

cannot be extraposed
1. Subject and Extraposed Subject

Draw a phrase marker for

[42a] Stripping wallpaper is a wretched business.

Notice that as with finite clauses, non-finite clausal subjects should be

dominated by NP.
1. Subject and Extraposed Subject
2. Complement of A in AP

• There are several types of adjective complementation by to-infinitive clauses,

depending on the head adjective itself.

• Adjectives that follow the pattern [a] like reluctant are: anxious, eager, keen,
hesitant, (un)willing, (un)likely, happy, liable.

• Adjectives that follow the patter [b] like impossible are: easy, hard, difficult, tough,
tiresome, boring, enjoyable, disgusting, delicious.
2. Complement of A in AP

[a] adjectives: the higher subject controls the covert subject of the

adjective complement clause.

[b] adjectives: the higher subject controls the object of that clause.

The lower subject with the [b] adjectives cannot be controlled

[44b] That piano is impossible [to move].
[45] That piano is impossible [for the dancers to move].
2. Complement of A in AP

Sentences with a to-infinitive clause complementing a [b]-type adjective correspond

to sentences in which the object figures overtly in a clause functioning as subject or
extraposed subject
2. Complement of A in AP

Can you draw phrase markers for [44a] and [44b]?

2. Complement of A in AP
3. Complement of P in PP

• The PP with a non-finite clausal complement can function as a noun complement in NP

E.g: [1] Chatting with the construction workers is a good way of [waiting time].

[18] He always had difficulty in [apologising].

• The PP with a non-finite clausal complement can also have other functions.

Can you identify the functions of the relevant PP in the following?

3. Complement of P in PP

Can you draw a phrase marker for

[50] We became zombies through watching too much TV?
4. Adverbial

Non-finite clauses
function as
adverbials

Passive
–ing participle –to infinitive
participle
 4. Adverbial

The subject must either be overt or controlled by the subject of the

superordinate clause
(1) –ing participle (with and without overt subject)

(2) to-infinitive (with and without overt subject)

(3) Passive participle (with and without overt subject)

4. Adverbial

• Can you write three sentences, each with a form of non-finite clauses
functioning as adverbials?

• Draw a phrase marker for [55b] We returned, disappointed by our

evening.
4. Adverbial
4. Adverbial

Non-finite adverbial clauses with a (C1) subordinating conjunction

5. Complement of N in NP

Which constituent controls the covert subject in the infinitive clauses of

[62] and [63]?
6. Modifier in NP

• Clausal modifiers in NPs are relative clauses with a covert wh-phrase.

• They are restrictive only and thus modifiers of NOM in NP.

6. Modifier in NP

Here’s the phrase marker for the subject NP of [38a]

7. Complement of V

Can we think of the clause in [67a] as a direct object?

7. Complement of V
7. Complement of V

A fully detailed and explicit sub-categorization system would need to sub-categorize

each verb based on:
(1) Whether it can take a clause as complement;

(2) If so, whether that clause may or must be interrogative;

(3) Whether it can be finite or non-finite;

(4) If non-finite, which of the four types of non-finite clauses are permitted;

(5) Whether an overt NP can intervene between the (higher) finite and the (lower) non-finite verb;

(6) If so, what the function of that NP is;

(7) What constituent, if any, control the convert constituents (if any) in the non-finite clause.
7. Complement of V
7. Complement of V
7. Complement of V

Matters are not so straight word when an overt NP intervenes between the verb of the superordinate clause
and the non-finite verb of the subordinate clause.

(1) V + NP + to-infinitive:

E.g.

(2) V + NP + -ing participle:

E.g.

(3) V + NP + bare infinitive:

E.g.

(4) V + NP + passive participle:

E.g.
7. Complement of V

These two analyses can be represented in the phrase markers:

7. Complement of V
We’ll divide verbs taking non-finite clausal complements into TWO TYPES:

(1) verbs that take just a single clausal complement with overt subject (Analysis I)

E.g. assume, believe, consider, desire, dread, expect, know, like, observe, prefer, regret,
witness, see, feel, hear

(2) verbs taking two complements, a direct object NP and a clausal complement
with a (controlled) covert subject (Analysis II)

E.g. advise, ask, coax, compel, dare, encourage, force, promise, persuade

=> These verbs require an agentive NP as a (dO) complement, in addition to the non-
finite clause.
7. Complement of V
7. Complement of V

Now decide which type each of the following verbs belongs to: teach,
claim, love, forbid, find, hate, want, invite, beg, warn, tell, prove,
recommend, imagine, prevent, urge, mean.