Can be seen to benefit
"Yes ... I think everybody who believes in liberal economic policies – which is the great bulk of politicians of the past few years – have never quite solved the problem of how to distribute the benefits better, so that the whole country can be seen to benefit." (The Guardian.)
Is can be seen to benefit a catenative construction or is "can be" a linking verb and "seen to benefit" subject complement in the subordinate clause so that the whole country can be seen to benefit?
Top answer
I see the construction as "can + infinitive" ("can" in its usual pattern), and "be seen to benefit" as the passive infinitive of the notional (but in practice not really used) catenative form "to see (the whole country) to benefit".
- I see the construction as "can + infinitive" ("can" in its usual pattern), and "be seen to benefit" as the passive infinitive of the notional (but in practice not really used) catenative form "to see (the whole country) to benefit".
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I see the construction as "can + infinitive" ("can" in its usual pattern), and "be seen to benefit" as the passive infinitive of the notional (but in practice not really used) catenative form "to see (the whole country) to benefit".
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