To-Infinitive clauses, ING clauses, bare infinitive clauses, verbless clauses, direct object and clause

Nominal clauses

Complement (nominal) clauses complete the superordinate clause. They can be finite or non-finite and are controlled by a preceding verb, adjective, noun, or preposition. They are also called nominal clauses because their syntactic roles are comparable to those of a noun phrase. Thus they are used as subject, predicative or object in the main clause. Non-finite clause with a non-finite verb phrase do not show tense and cannot occur with modal auxiliaries. Non-finite are clauses of TO infinitive, bare infinitive, participle –ing/-ed.

To-infinitive clauses may have a syntactic function as:

Subject (To be neutral in this conflict is out of question.)

Direct object (He likes to relax.)

Subject complementation (The best excuse is to say that you have an examination tomorrow.)

Appositive (přístavek) = phrase that supplements the word or phrase directly before it. (Your ambition, to become a singer, requires motivation. Your question, why I am here, will soon be answered.)

Adjectival complementation (I am very eager to meet her.)

ING clauses may have a syntactic function as:

Subject (Watching TV is sometimes good.)

Direct object (He enjoys playing practical jokes.)

Subject complement (Her first job was selling computers.)

Appositive (His current job, selling computers, is his first job.)

Adjectival complement (They are busy doing homework.)

Bare infinitive clauses have the most common syntactic functions as:            

Subject (Turn off the tap was all I did.)

Subject complement (What the plan does is (to) ensure a fair pension. = “to” of the infinitive is optional when the clause is subject complement!)

Object complement (They made her pay for it.)             

Verbless clauses do not have a verb element

A friend in need is a friend indeed

Whether right or wrong, he always comes off worst in argument. (= Whether he is right or wrong...)

Although always helpful, he was not much liked.

                     A         Cs

(Although he was always helpful, he was not much liked.)

                    S    V       A         Cs

Verb complementation clauses

Direct object + to-infinitive clause

The police reported the traffic to be heavy.

My contract allows me to take one month’s notice.

I'd like Jane to be happy.

John believed the stranger to be a policeman.

Direct object + bare infinitive clause

Causative verbs have, let, make (active voice only because the passive voice requires infinitive "to")

They had me repeat the message.

You shouldn’t let your family interfere with your plans.

We must make the public take notice of us. BUT pa

BUT passive! John must be made to take notice of us.

Perceptual verbs feel, hear, notice, observe, overhear, see, watch (active voice only)

Did you notice anyone leave the house.

The crowd saw Gray score two goals. I saw/heard  him leave. (= the whole action)

BUT passive!  Gray was seen to score two goals.

Direct object + ING participle clause

Perceptual verbs feel, hear, notice, observe, overhear, see, watch

I saw him lying on the beach. I saw/heard him leaving. (= just part of the action)

We could hear the rain splashing on the roof.

Verbs of encounter catch, discover, find, leave

A teacher caught them smoking in the playground.

Direct object + ED participle clause

Perceptual verbs feel, hear, notice, observe, overhear, see, watch

Someone must have seen the car stolen.  

Volitional verbs like, need, want

I want this watch repaired immediately.

Causative verbs get, have

She had the car cleaned.