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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Infinitive Complements
Hi,
I was always taught that the complement of the infinitive is always nominative unless that infinitive also as a a subject, in which case it switches to the objective. For example: "I was believed to be he." "He" is the complement of the infinitive, and since there is no subject for that infinitive it stays nominative. On the other hand, if the example were "I thought him to be him" (bad sentence, I know), the complement becomes objective because the infinitive has a subject. I run into an issue if I'm using the infintive of an action verb. For example, would it be "I want to hit him" or "I want to hit he"? According to the way I was taught, it would be "I want to hit he" because there is not subject so the complement is nominative, but it doesn't seem right. Does anyone know the rule more definitively?
Thanks
I was always taught that the complement of the infinitive is always nominative unless that infinitive also as a a subject, in which case it switches to the objective. For example: "I was believed to be he." "He" is the complement of the infinitive, and since there is no subject for that infinitive it stays nominative. On the other hand, if the example were "I thought him to be him" (bad sentence, I know), the complement becomes objective because the infinitive has a subject. I run into an issue if I'm using the infintive of an action verb. For example, would it be "I want to hit him" or "I want to hit he"? According to the way I was taught, it would be "I want to hit he" because there is not subject so the complement is nominative, but it doesn't seem right. Does anyone know the rule more definitively?
Thanks
Top answer
Anonymous According to the way I was taught, it would be "I want to hit he" Fortunately I have never been taught those rules. If I want to hit he is correct, then you can hit I is also correct. ) CB
- Anonymous According to the way I was taught, it would be "I want to hit he" Fortunately I have never been taught those rules.
- If I want to hit he is correct, then you can hit I is also correct.
- ) CB
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3 Answers
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Anonymous According to the way I was taught, it would be "I want to hit he"Fortunately I have never been taught those rules.
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Anon:
I never heard of such a rule.
The rules for object case are the same for finite and non-finite verbs. Copulative verbs are followed by predicate nominative, and transitive verbs by the object case.
When the infinitive follows a catenative verb, the pronoun (object of the first verb) is used in object case.
I asked him to go with me.
I asked her
I never heard of such a rule.
The rules for object case are the same for finite and non-finite verbs. Copulative verbs are followed by predicate nominative, and transitive verbs by the object case.
When the infinitive follows a catenative verb, the pronoun (object of the first verb) is used in object case.
I asked him to go with me.
I asked her
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AnonymousI was always taught that the complement of the infinitive is always nominative unless that infinitive also as a a subject, in which case it switches to the objective.Strange thing to be taught.
The complement of the infinitive is always in the objective case.
I want to hit him. She asked me to pay them. We need h
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