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But the rule of the strong position is valid here also. Cf.
Her Auntie Phyll had too many children. Having brought up six in a messy, undisciplined way, she had
started all over again with another baby late in life (M. Dickens).
With the gerund introduced by a preposition of time the perfect is more often than not neutralized. E.g.:
He was at Cambridge and after taking his degree decided to be a planter (S. Maugham).
Cf. the perfect gerund in a strong position:
The memory of having met the famous writer in his young days made him feel proud even now.
Less liable to neutralization is the infinitive. The category of retrospective coordination is for the most part
consistently represented in its independent constructions, used as concise semi-predicative equivalents of
syntactic units of full predication. Cf:.
It was utterly unbelievable for the man to have no competence whatsoever (simultaneity expressed by the
imperfect).- -It was utterly unbelievable for the man to have had no competence whatsoever (priority expressed
by the perfect).
The perfect infinitive of notional verbs used with modal predica-tors, similar to the continuous, performs the
two types of functions. First, it expresses priority and transmission in retrospective coordination, in keeping
with its categorial destination. Second, dependent on the concrete function of each modal verb and its
equivalent, it helps convey gradations of probabilities in suppositions. E.g.:
He may have warned Christine, or again, he may not have warned her. Who can tell? Things must have
been easier fifty years ago. You needn't worry, Miss Nickolson. The children are sure to have been following
our instructions, it can't have been otherwise.
In addition, as its third type of function, also dependent on the individual character of different modal
verbs, the perfect can render the idea of non-compliance with certain rule, advice, recommendation, etc. The
modal verbs in these cases serve as signals of remonstrance (mostly the verbs ought to and should). Cf:.
Mary ought to have thought of the possible consequences. Now the situation can't be mended, I'm afraid.
The modal will used with a perfect in a specific collocation renders a polite, but officially worded statement
of the presupposed hearer's knowledge of an indicated fact. Cf.:
"You will no doubt have heard. Admiral Morgan, that Lord Vaughan is going to replace Sir Thomas Lynch
as Governor of Jamaica," Charles said, and cast a glance of secret amusement at the strong countenance of his
most famous sailor (J. Tey). It will not have escaped your attention. Inspector, that the visit of the nuns was the
same day that poisoned wedding cake found its way into that cottage (A. Christie).
Evident relation between the perfect and the continuous in their specific modal functions (i.e. in the use
under modal government) can be pointed out as a testimony to the category of retrospective coordination being
related to the category of development on the broad semantic basis of aspectuality.
C H A P T E R XVI
VERB; VOICE
§ 1. The verbal category of voice shows the direction of the process as regards the participants of the
situation reflected in the syntactic construction.
The voice of the English verb is expressed by the opposition of the passive form of the verb to the active
form of the verb. The sign marking, the passive form is the combination of the auxiliary be with the past
participle of the conjugated verb (in symbolic notation: be ... en-see Ch. II, §5). The passive form as the strong
member of the opposition expresses reception of the action by the subject of the syntactic construction (i.e. the
"passive" subject, denoting the object of the action); the active form as the weak member of the opposition
leaves this meaning unspecified, i.e. it expresses "non-passivity".
In colloquial speech the role of the passive auxiliary can occasionally be performed by the verb get and,
probably, become. Cf.:*
* For discussion see: Khaimwich, Rogovskaya, 128-129.
Sam got licked for a good reason, though not by me. The young violinist became admired by all.
The category of voice has a much broader representation in the system of the English verb than in the
system of the Russian verb, since in English not only transitive, but also intransitive objective verbs including
prepositional ones can be used in the passive (the preposition being retained in the absolutive location).
Besides, verbs taking not one, but two objects, as a rule, can feature both of them in the position of the passive