The Complex Subject Construction

 

I. The Complex Subject Construction is a two-member predicative complex with the first component expressed by a noun in the Common Case or a pronoun in the Nominative Case, and the second element - by an infinitive (to denote a mere action), or
participle I (for an action in process, participle II (for a passive meaning), an adjective or a noun.

e.g.: Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in

nature has a purpose. (Garrison Keillor)

She seemed to have lost her patience.

Mr. Browrn is considered the best specialist in this

question.

I am believed competent but I am not.

The man was believed lost.

Note 1: In traditional reference books the construction is called "The Nominative-with-the-Infinitive Construction". This term though is not a happy one, since "with-the-infinitive" excludes the use of the Participle, Noun or Adjective. The traditional term does not seem appropriate.

II. Verbs admitting the Complex Subject Construction can be
divided into two groups:

a) Verbs in the Passive Voice:

1) verbs of sense perception: see, hear, observe, watch, etc.

e.g.: The man was seen to run across the field towards the river.

Father’s car was heard to stop at the front door.

Note 1: If a process is meant, non-perfect participle I active is used:

e.g.: They were seen swimming across the river.

2) verbs denoting mental activity: think, consider, know, expect, believe, suppose, etc.

e. g.She (Juley) had passed into a proverb in the family and when anybody was observed to be peculiarly distressing, he was known to be e regular Juley. Diplomacy is thought to be the art of jumping into troubled waters without making a splash. (Anonymous)

His policy is no policy. And this in itself is supposed. to be a policy. (Anonymous)

The soldiers were expected to do their duty in the coming battle.

3) Verbs of saying and reporting: say, report, rumour. With this construction they express the idea of evidence of some fact. Here also belong some other verbs which in the passive voice express the idea of evidence: find, discover, etc.

e.g.-: They are rumoured to have divorced.

Three people are reported to have been killed in the

plane crash

The gods had given Irene dark-brown yes and golden

hair, which is said to be the mark of a weak character.

(Galsworthy)

Experience is said to be a comb which nature gives us

when we are bald. (Anonymous)

After her return to the prison, Hester Prynn was found to

be in a state of nervous excitement.

4) verbs of inducement, compulsion and permission: make, cause, force, induce, tell, allow, let.

e. g.She was made to take pony-riding, or piano-exercise. He had learned to keep his thoughts to himself. To do So, he had been forced to divest himself of all perso­nality.

Nobody was allowed to enter the room.

Note 3: When used in the passive voice the verbs to make and allow are followed by a to-infinitive

Sentences containing these verbs have some syntactic peculiarities:

a)'-The construction presents a syntactic complex whose components stand in relation of predication to each other.

b) The nominal element of the Complex Subject Construction forms two syntactic connections, it has two syntactic functions at a time:

on the one hand it functions as a grammatical subject of the
sentence: it's syntactically connected with the finite verb
(Philip Bosinney was known...) and stands for the sufferer of
its action; the finite verb is always passive here;

on the other hand, it's connected with the second element of
the construction and stands for the doer (Philip Bosinney... to
be a young man), the sufferer (the car... damaged] or an agent
ascribed a certain property (I... competent], (Mr. Brown... a good specialist).

c) The second element of the construction is syntactically specific too

 

- on the one hand, it is connected with the finite verb as part of
the predicate of the sentence (was known to be a young man.
without a fortune);

 

- on the other hand, it is connected with the nominal element of the construction which is at the same time the grammatical subject of the sentence, and thus performs the function of part of the subject construction (Philip Bossiney … to be a young man). Hence, there are three syntactic groups in the sentence: “Philip Bossiney was known to be a young man without a fortune”: 1). Philip Bossiney was known; 2). Was known to be a young man; 3). Philip Bossiney … to be a young man.

 

- on the other hand, it is connected with the nominal element of the construction which is at the same time the grammatical subject of the sentence, and thus performs the function of part of the subject construction (Philip Bosinney... to be a young man): Hence, there are three syntactic groups in the sentence "Philip Bosinney was known to be a young man without a fortune.": 1) Philip Bosinney was known; 2) was known to be a young man (without a fortune); 3) Philip Bosinney... to be a young man...

Note l: In translating sentences containing the Complex Subject Construction after verbs in the Passive Voice a complex sentence with an "indefinite personal" main clause is mostly used. Sentences with the verbs of group 4 (verbs of inducement, compulsion and permission) are translated into Russian by simple sentences.

e.g.: Nobody was allowed to enter the room.

Никому не разрешалось входить в комнату.

Note 2: After verbs in the Passive Voice the Complex Subject Construction is more characteristic of literary than of colloquial style, except with the verbs suppose, expect, make; with these verbs the Complex Subject Construction can be found both in fiction and in colloquial style.

b) Verbs in the Active Voice:

1) pairs of synonyms: to seem - to appear; to happen - to chance (the
later is literary); to prove - to turn out.

e.g.: Her figure swayed, so balanced that the very air seemed to set it moving. (Galsworthy) None of the Forsytes happened to be architects. (Galsworthy)

Our innocent chat appeared to amuse him and he waited for the next train in order to take tea in the study. (J.Webster)

On June 15, 1886, about four of the afternoon, the observer who chanced to be present at the house of - ' ",' old Jolyon Forsyte in Stanhope Gate, might have seen the highest efflorescence of the Forsytes.

"Would you be terribly displeased, Daddy, if I didn't turn out to be a Great Author after all, but just a plain girl?" (J. Webster) The experiment proved to be a failure. (Collins)

2) with some modal phrases: to be likely, to be unlikely, to be sure,
be certain, to be bound.

e.g.: If Soames were to see him in the club it would be sure to come round to her that he wasn't at the dentist's at all. (Galsworthy)

The children of divided parents in an unhappy home are likely to suffer in character. The secret is certain to come out.