The Complex subject

Study the following information.

The Complex Subject is a construction in which the infinitive is in predicate relation to a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative case. The peculiarity of the construction is that it doesn’t serve as one part of the sentence: one of its component parts has the function of the subject, the other forms part of a compound verbal predicate. E.g. Michael is said to be a good student.

The Complex Subject is used with the following groups of verbs in the Passive:

· with verbs denoting sense perception: to see, to hear, etc. E.g. The robber was seen to run out of the bank.

Note. If a process is expressed, Present Participle Active (V-ing) is used. E.g. The robber was seen running out of the bank at that moment.

· with the verbs denoting mental activity: to think, to consider, to know, to expect, to believe, to suppose. E.g. He was thought to be honest. The manuscript is believed to have been written in the 15^th century.

· with the verb to make. E.g. He was made to review his decision.

· with the verbs to say, to report, to allege, to suppose. E.g. He is said to have been suspected of a crime.

· with the word-groups to be sure, to be certain, to be likely, to be unlikely. E.g. He is sure to lose the case.

Note the difference between: He is sure to come. – Він напевне /обов’язково прийде. He is sure of coming. – Він певен, що прийде.

6) with the following pairs of synonyms (that are used in the Active): to seem / to appear (здаватися), to happen / to chance (the latter is literal – трапилось так, випадково), to prove / to turn out ( виявлятися, з’ясуватися ). E.g. They seem to have forgotten their promise. We happened to see them yesterday. The investigation proved to be a failure.

1. Complete the sentences as in the examples.

E.g. People know that she works hard. – She is known to work hard.

It is thought that he left the country. – He is thought to have left the country.

1. It is expected that he will win the election. – He __________________________ 2. It is thought that the queen is the richest woman in the world. The queen ______________________ 3. It is said that she speaks seven languages. She _____________________________ 4. It is believed that the stolen jewellery has been found. The stolen jewellery _____________________ 5. It is said that he is a prominent statesman. He ______________________ 6. It is expected that the Prime Minister will form the new government. The Prime Minister ______________________ 7. It is alleged that he has stolen the money. He _______________________ 8. It is reported that the world leaders have already reached an agreement. The world leaders ______________________ 9. It is reported that the criminals have escaped from prison. The criminals ___________________ 10. It is expected that the treaty will be signed. The treaty ____________________ 11. People say that the Prime Minister is in favour of the new law. The Prime Minister ________________________ 12. They say that the party in power will lose the election. The party in power ________________________ 13. The newspapers report that two people were injured in the accident. Two people ______________________ 14. People say that three men were arrested afterthe explosion. Three men ________________________ 15. They believe that the thieves got in through the kitchen window. The thieves __________________ 16. They believe that the wanted man is living in New York. The wanted man __________________ 17. They said the novel had been published. The novel ___________________ 18. They know that he was wrongly accused. He _____________________ 19. They believe she was taking drugs. She _____________________ 20. The police report that some papers have been stolen. Some papers___________________________

2. Translate into English.

1. Бачили, що він переходив вулицю. 2. Відомо, що він скоїв цей злочин. 3. Дітей примусили припинити розмови. 4. Кажуть, що він відомий юрист. 5. Здається, вони обговорюють новий фільм. 6. Він, схоже, досягне успіху. 7. Його примусили повторити правило. 8. Бачили, що вони сперечалися про щось. 9. Вони повернулись один до одного і, здавалось, що вони розмовляють. 10. Ви випадково не знаєте його адреси? 11. Він, напевне, не знав цього раніше. 12. Вони, з’ясувалося, уже написали курсову роботу. 13. Повідомляється, що контрабандисти (smugglers) заарештовані. 14. Відомо, що Карл І (Charles I) був страчений (execute) за державну зраду (state treason). 15. Несхоже, що завтра буде сніг. 16. Гадають, що в’язні втекли з тюрми. 17. Здається, що детективи розслідують убивство вже два тижні. 18. Кажуть, що він приїде завтра після обіду. 19. Повідомляють, що товари були доставлені. 20. Виявляється, що в Англії є два суди першої інстанції. 21. Схоже, вашу проблему незабаром вирішать. 22. Він випадково глянув в той бік і побачив, що злодій (burglar) вибігає з будинку.

3. Choose the correct form of the word that best completes the sentence.

1. He heard somebody … his name.

a) to call; b) call; c) calls; d) called

2. I hate him … like that.

a) to talk; b) talk; c) talks; d) talked

3. They made him … every day.

a) to practice; b) practice; c) practices; d) practiced

4. He was seen … the house.

a) to break into; b) break into; c) breaks into; d) broke into

5. She advised me … the truth.

a) to tell; b) tell; c) tells; d) telling

6. I … to see him yesterday.

a) happen; b) to happen; c) happened; d) was happened

7. She seems … for a long time.

a) to wait; b) to be waiting; c) to have waited; d) to have been waiting

8. She … to be a famous scientist.

a) expects; b) expected; c) is expecting; d) is expected

9. He is sure … about it.

a) asks; b) to be asked; c) ask; d) asked

10. This document is known … last week.

a) to sign; b) to be signed; c) to have been signed; d) to have been signing

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