Non-finite clauses

1. Non-finite clauses Group 7

2. Participle clause • participial clauses = adverbial clausesParticipial clauses often express condition, reason, cause, result or time. EX： Having taken the wrong train, I found myself in Bath, not Bristol. （Because I had taken the wrong train, I found myself in Bath, not Bristol.）

3. Present Participle-  continuous and active action EX: Seeing an accident ahead, I stopped my car. （I noticed that there had been an accident ahead and stopped my car.） • Past Participle- completed and passive action . EX： Having seen an accident ahead, I stopped my car. （When I saw the accident ahead, I stopped my car.）

4. Infinitive Clauses • We use both the full infinitive (e.g. to drink) and the bare infinitive (e.g. drink) • Full infinitive: • As the subject of another clause: To give up now seems stupid. • As the complement of another clause: Our only option is to get up even earlier in the mornings. • Attached to another clause： I came all the way to find out what had happened.

5. Bare infinitive clauses： • After rather than： Rather than open a new packet, why don’t you finish up the remains of this one? • As the complement of a pseudo-cleft sentence: What you should do is try to open it with a knife. • Attached to another clause-after ”sense” verbs (e.g. hear; see) ： I didn’t see anyone come into the room.

6. Non-finite clauses with subjects

7. Non-finite clauses & their subordinate clauses

8. Verbless clauses • Although willing to lend a hand, he’s never around when you actually need help.------> Although (he is) willing…… • Without hope, he staggered on.-------> Without (having) hope,…..

9. Verbless clauses • We often introduce verbless clauses with－conjunction：although－preposition：without－prepositional phrase：at that time

10. Typical difficulties for learners comprehension • Learners don’t recognize and understand the structure of the sentence. • They may recognize the structure but have difficulty in locating. • See example P.370

11. Typical difficulties for learners Speaking and writing • Avoidance Learners use non-finite clauses far less than native speakers. * Example: P.372

12. Typical difficulties for learners • Choosing the wrong forms • Using for+-ing instead of a full infinitive. * We went to Woolworth’s for buying our spring bulbs. ->We went to Woolworth’s to buy our spring bulbs.

13. Using for+ bare infinitive instead of a full infinitive. * Go to England for study English better. ->Go to England for studying English better.

14. Using a present participle instead of a past participle. *The train robbery, thinking to be the greatest of the century, took place in 1963. -> The train robbery, being thoughtto be the greatest of the century, took place in 1963.

15. Using a full infinitive instead of a present participle. *I watched them to dance. -> I watched them dancing.