2015-02-18
2105
Morphologically the verbal character of the gerund is manifested in 1) the category of voice for transitive verbs and 2) the category of prefect. Thus there are four forms of the gerund for transitive verbs and two forms for intransitive verbs.
| The gerund | Active | Passive | |
| Non-perfect | transitive intransitive | seeing going | being seen |
| Perfect | transitive intransitive | having seen having gone | having been seen |
1. The category of voice of the gerund has the same meaning as in the corresponding finite verb forms. It shows the direction of the action from the subject or to the subject.
Compare: The Active Gerund The Passive Gerund
| I avoid seeing him. | I avoid being seen by him. |
| Я избегаю встреч с ним (стараюсь не встречаться с ним). | Я стараюсь, чтобы он меня не видел. |
| I enjoy reading an English book before going to sleep. | Children enjoy being read to before going to sleep. |
| Я люблю почитать английскую книжку перед сном. | Дети любят, когда им читают перед сном. |
After the adjective worth (стоящий) and after some verbs the active gerund is used in its passive meaning. These are the verbs: to want, to need, to require in the meaning of нуждаться, требоваться, to deserve in the meaning of заслуживать, to bear (always negative) in the meaning of не выдерживать, не выносить.
The book is worth reading. Книгу стоит прочесть.
The house wants reconstructing. Дом нужно перестраивать.
My skirt needs lengthening. (= My skirt needs to be lengthened.)
Мою юбку надо удлинить.
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The windows need cleaning. (= The windows need to be cleaned.)
Окна надо помыть.
The floor requires washing. Пол надо ( требуется ) помыть.
The boy deserves punishing. (= The boy deserves to be punished.) Мальчик заслуживает наказания.
His behaviour deserves punishing. Его поведение заслуживает наказания.
His opinions won’t bear repeating in public. Его взгляды невозможно обнародовать, (... не выдержат повторения на публике.)
2. The perfect and non-perfect forms of the gerund differ in that a non-perfect form denotes an action simultaneous with or posterior to that of the finite verb form and a perfect gerund denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb.
| The non-perfect gerund | Translation | Comments |
| He is surprised at seeing you here. | Он удивлен, что видит тебя здесь. | An action simultaneous with the present. (is) |
| He was surprised at seeing you there. | Он был удивлен, что увидел тебя там. | An action simultaneous with the past. (was) |
| He’ll be surprised at seeing you here. | Он будет удивлен, если увидит тебя здесь. | An action simultaneous with the future. (will be) |
| The perfect gerund | Translation | Comments |
| He is surprised at your not having come. | Он удивлен, что вы не пришли. | An action prior to the present moment. (is) |
| He was surprised at your not having come. | Он был удивлен, что вы не пришли. | An action prior to the past moment. (was) |
| He’ll be surprised at your not having come. | Он будет удивлен, что вы не пришли. | An action prior to the future moment. (will be) |
We are sure of the cargoes always arriving on time. Мы уверены, что грузы всегда приходят вовремя.
We are sure of the cargoes having already arrived. Мы уверены, что грузы уже пришли.
Не is unconscious of having given her the slightest ground for offence and in general of being in the wrong. Он не осознает, что дал ей хоть какой-то повод для обиды, и вообще, что он не прав.
The perfect gerund always indicates priority, while the meaning of the non-perfect gerund may vary and depends to a great extent on the context, that is:
1) on the lexical meaning of the finite verb it refers to, and
2) on the preposition it combines with.
Thus the non-perfect gerund may denote priority:
a) when used after the following verbs:
to apologize извиняться, приносить извинения; to excuse извинять; to forget забывать; to forgive прощать; to punish наказывать; to remember помнить; to reproach упрекать; to thank благодарить
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I don’t remember ever seeing you. Я не помню, чтобы когда-нибудь видел вас.
I thank you for coming. Спасибо, что пришли.
Excuse my interrupting you. Извините, что прервал вас.
He apologized for bringing so many people with him. Он извинился за то, что привел с собой столько людей.
The mother punished her child for telling her a lie. Мать наказала ребенка за то, что он ей солгал.
He’ll never forgive your letting him down. Он никогда не простит тебе, что ты его подвел.
She couldn’t forget visiting London. Она не могла забыть, как она ездила (свою поездку) в Лондон.
Не reproached me for not visiting them. Он упрекнул меня в том, что я не навестил их.
b) the non-perfect gerund also may denote priority after the prepositions on (upon), after, without
She went away without seeing me. Она ушла, не повидав меня.
On turning round the corner he was surprised to see a new building. Повернув за угол, он с удивлением увидел новое здание.
After reading the poem twice she could recite it. Прочитав стихотворение дважды, она могла прочесть его наизусть.
In all the above cases the priority is not stressed. It is of no importance to emphasize it. But if the priority is emphasized, the prefect gerund is used.
I don’t remember having ever seen you before. He помню, чтобы когда-нибудь видел вас раньше.
She apologized for having caused so much trouble. Она извинилась за то, что причинила столько беспокойства.
After having travelled all over the world for so many years he settled down in the suburbs of London. Пропутешествовав столько лет по всему миру, он поселился в пригороде Лондона.
The non-perfect gerund can also denote an action referring to the future:
a) after some verbs:
to hope надеяться, предвкушать; to insist on настаивать; to intend намереваться; to suggest предлагать; to look forward to ожидать; to think подумать, придумать, представить себе; to object to возражать; to plan планировать, намереваться
We intend travelling round Europe in June. В июне мы намерены поехать путешествовать по Европе.
We’re looking forward to travelling round Europe. Мы с нетерпением ждем поездки по Европе.
I don’t object to your going on a trip to Europe. Я не возражаю против того, чтобы вы отправились путешествовать по Европе.
I suggest writing him a letter. Я предлагаю написать ему письмо.
We’ re not planning taking our exams in May. Мы не планируем сдавать экзамены в мае.
b) it can also denote an action referring to the future after the nouns (intention, plan, hope with the preposition of):
I have no intention of visiting the man again in the near future. У меня нет намерения (Я не собираюсь) снова навещать этого человека в ближайшем будущем.
There’s no hope of seeing him again. Нет надежды увидеть его снова.
c) after the adjectives (keen on – сильно желающий чего-либо, стремящийся к чему-либо):
My mother is keen on my marrying a good man. Мама очень хочет, чтобы я вышла замуж за хорошего человека.
d) after the preposition before:
You must have some rest before taking exams. Перед экзаменами тебе надо отдохнуть.
A non-perfect gerund may also have no time reference or may refer to no particular time.
There’s (It’s) no use crying over spilt milk. Потерянного не вернешь.
Growing flowers is a pleasant occupation. Выращивать цветы — приятное занятие.
Exercise 1. Define the syntactical function of the gerund or gerundial phrase. Say what part of speech this function is typical of.
MODEL: Smoking is harmful for one’s health. – Smoking is a single gerund used in the function of the subject. The use of the gerund in this function demonstrates its nominal feature as this function is typical of the noun.
1. Travelling is my favourite occupation when on holiday. 2. What I like best is travelling. 3. I like travelling all over the world. 4. Seeing him is always a pleasure. 5. I remember seeing him at his place. 6. My dream is seeing him again. 7. His duty was giving the future some stability. 8. The worst part was knowing you wouldn’t come. 9. Seeing the man like that was enough revenge for her. 10. Driving with Maggie was always a silent business. 11. Esther couldn’t help thinking wistfully of her bedtime cup of tea. 12. That woman likes sticking needles into me. 13. Your painting the house now is a waste of time.
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Exercise 2. In Exercise 1 find the words referring to the gerund and define their syntactical functions. In what way does this combinability characterize the gerund? Point out separately the combinability typical of the noun and that of the verb.
MODEL: Your painting the house now is a waste of time. – Your painting the house now is a gerundial construction used in the function of the subject. In this construction the gerund has the combinability of both the noun and the verb. Like a noun it combines with a possessive pronoun used as an attribute to the gerund and like a verb it takes a direct object (the house) and is modified by an adverbial modifier of time (now).
Exercise 3. Comment on the verbal and nominal features of the gerunds. Translate the sentences into Russian.
MODEL: I’m sorry for having caused you so much trouble yesterday. Мне жаль, что я доставил вам столько беспокойства вчера. – The pointed out gerundial phrase is used in the function of a prepositional object which manifests the nominal features of the gerund as this function is typical of the noun. Having caused is a perfect gerund, the category of perfect is a verbal category, besides that the verbal features of the gerund are manifested by the fact that the gerund in this phrase takes two objects – the direct object trouble and the indirect object you. And one more verbal feature of the gerund in this case is that it is modified by an adverbial modifier of time yesterday.
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1. Oh, I simply love riding. 2. He insisted on going alone. 3. He looked at Mr. Mudstone as if to make sure of his not being displeased. 4. Would you mind going there now? 5. I didn’t bear thinking of our fate at this time of the night. 6. Sorry for phoning you so early. 7. I’ll look forward to seeing you again. 8. You would insist on always arguing with your father. 9. I don’t object to being always seen with you anywhere. 10. She allowed him to provoke her into losing her temper almost at once. 11. She was getting away with this without suffering the unpleasant consequences. 12. Instead of shaking her hand or waving a careless good-bye he startled her by lifting her back on to the platform.
Exercise 4. Comment on the form of the gerund using the given models.
MODEL 1: writing – It is a non-perfect active gerund.
MODEL 2: being written – It is a non-perfect passive gerund.
MODEL 3: having written – It is a perfect active gerund.
MODEL 4: having been written – It is a perfect passive gerund.
А В С
| 1. having done | 1. shaving | 1. having been driven |
| 2. moving | 2. having burnt | 2. being offered |
| 3. being closed | 3. having been planned | 3. helping |
| 4. having been read | 4. being treated | 4. having drawn |
| 5. thinking | 5. listening | 5. being made |
| 6. being taken | 6. having joined | 6. reaching |
| 7. telling | 7. being used | 7. having heard |
| 8. being interrupted | 8. having been mentioned | 8. selling |
Exercise 5. Choose the right form of the gerund according to the definition given below.
