On Functions of Non-Finite Forms in English Language

Abstract

The article considers syntactic functions and grammatical status of non-finite forms in the English language. The author notes that this is a field of grammar that presents challenges for both studying and learning. As the analysis showed, one of the most difficult and controversial issues is the opposition of ing -form and inflectional infinitive (infinitive with particle to ). There are opinions that these two forms, which have universal functionality and valence in the history of the language, can have the same function of complement in modern English. The paper shows that the choice of form (inflectional infinitive or ing -form) in this case is a very difficult problem. The article analyzes such examples, provides the authors’ views on their differences and offers the authors’ possible explanation of this phenomenon. The novelty of this study is seen in the proof that the combination of the personal form of the verb with the ing -form means in general one action with some additional connotation. The author argues that this combination forms an analytical construction, the meaning of which is perceived as a whole. The presented results have practical application, namely, they allow to solve the problem of choice of ing -form or inflectional infinitive when used after a personal verb.