Complex English Grammar

(based on the works by Agatha Christie)

Reading English language literature in the original, we often come across complex grammatical structures naturally used by the native speaking authors in their works. Studying the examples of complicated grammatical phenomena in literary texts helps the students see the practical side to using such structures in their own speech. They learn to spot some common or rarely used tenses, both active and passive; non-finite verb form, that is infinitives, gerunds and participles; modal verbs; different types of conditional sentences; excellent samples of word formation and the like. All this stimulates students’ interest to the language, encourages them to explore it more thoroughly and motivates them to enrich their own vocabulary and grammar, which can result in their brighter, more expressive and convincing speech, both oral and written.

In this very study, based on the works by Agatha Christie, special attention has been devoted to just a few grammatical phenomena: gerunds, infinitives, complex subject and an interesting case of participles for describing people’s appearance.

Gerund. There are sentences illustrating the use of all gerund types in different cases: after prepositions, as well as particular words and expressions.

Infinitives. There are examples of active and passive simple, continuous and perfect infinitives used after adjectives and participles and after certain verbs, with or without the particle “to”.

Complex subject. This grammatical phenomenon usually causes difficulties as its usage is quite complicated. There are examples of all its main types.

Participles for describing physical appearance. There are some characteristic examples of such participles, which can make our speech more expressive.

English language teachers can successfully make use of all these examples while explaining various aspects of complex grammar to their students.

Gerund

Examples of Simple Active Gerund:

-It is only a matter of waiting.

-It was stolen just a few hours before reaching New York.

-It is no good going to Hugo – he won’t listen.

-I am not usually credited with having much imagination.

-It is a question that needs answering.

-I don’t like the idea of blackmailing a woman.

-Do you mind telling me a little more about your guests?

-In spite of myself I could not help smiling.

-Her laughter was so infectious that I could not helpjoining in.

-I appreciate your telling me so.

-He enjoyed seeing anyone afraid of him.

-I could not refrain from laughing at hearing the haughty Duchess described in this way. -It’s no use poisoning yourself with drugs.

-You can’t help being proud of yourself.

-Veronica was accustomed to getting her own way.

-I myself do not feel like eating, but the others might be hungry.

-There was awkward embarrassment in not knowing how to react to her behaviour. -He was grateful to Sir Henry for saying so, and equally grateful for his not saying any more.

-I remember meeting you once in Paris.

-Poirot went on speaking slowly, and obviously picking his words with care. -There is no good wanting what we can’t get.

Examples of Perfect Active Gerund:

-I must ask you to forgive me for having given you so much trouble.

Examples of Simple Passive Gerund:

-Could it be done without questions being asked?

-She doesn’t approve of being mixed up with a murder.

-I can’t stand being reminded of happiness just now.

-I do not like being lied to.

Examples of Perfect Passive Gerund:

-The books showed little evidence of having been read.

Infinitive

-I was careful to touch nothing in the room but to leave it exactly as I found it.

-It is impossible to argue with her or to make her see things logically. -It’s difficult to say offhand.

-It was amusing to be able to do a thing, but not let anybody know that you could do it.

-It was just sweet of you to come up here.

-I’m pleased to have seen you.

-I am delighted to have been of service to him.

-It’s sweet of you to have been so helpful.

-It was ungenerous of her not to let that thought bring warmth.

-To make a snowman, one has to have the snow.

-To ask someone to do a thing and at the same time to put them against doing it, that is a delicate operation.

-Don’t let’s waste time on Edward.

-I meant to give it to Celia and ask her to put it back.

-Ellis said I couldn’t afford to turn it down.

-No man can get a woman to listen to reason.

-Benedict Farley, that eccentric millionaire, chose not to advertise his choice of residence.

-Often, when she pretended not to understand, she did understand.

-I cannot afford to be connected with this business in any way.

-All Gerda had to do was to go into the study and get the gun.

-That ought to make it easier.

-One always did have to make up Gerda’s mind for her.

-You must be a wizard to have guessed.

-One ought to have realized it long ago.

-It was something she ought to have done.

-I oughtn’t to have said that.

-It has to be done carefully.

-He wanted to be thought guilty.

-Since it is true, it can easily be proved, so why worry?

-She only wants to be allowed to curl up and purr.

-The whole thing must be given up.

-She hoped that some sensible answer might be given to her question. -There is no time to be lost.

-We had better get down to business. -He got up. “We had better go back again.” -You had better go and lie down.

-She would rather drive on for hours and hours, even if John did lose his temper with her!

Complex Subject

#1 – “is said to write”

-Rupert is said to be extremely hard up.

-He was not known to possess a pistol.

-The Duke of Merton was reported to be completely under the thumb of his mother.

-He was reputed to be of aesthetic tastes.

-He was supposed to care nothing for women.

-She might be considered to have a motive.

-Lady Edgware was at a party at the time she was supposed to have been here.

-This lady with whom he is said to be travelling is staying at a hotel now.

#2 – “seems to like”

-The new Lord Edgware seems to be fond of his joke.

-French governesses never seemed to have any authority.

-They didn’t seem to take the thing very seriously.

-The businesslike procedure seemed to restore Alfred Lee to his normal self.

-I happened to say something about the matter.

-He doesn’t seem to listen to anything I say.

-It’s wonderful how everything always seems to turn out for the best.

-You seem to understand it very well.

-Intellectual people always seem to need a good deal of food.

-I just don’t seem to care about the stage anymore.

-She seemed to speak every language with ease.

-It was a guess that turned out to be correct.

-I happened to hear you were in London.

-An exquisite creature approached them, her feet hardly seeming to touch the floor.

-Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves.

-The head gardener did not appear to be enjoying the conversation.

-For Gerda this was a game of bridge which she happened to be enjoying.

-She seemed to be asking this question not of him, but of herself.

-She seemed to be thinking of something a long way away.

-There was a pause while Henrietta seemed to be thinking.

-Now Van Aldin seemed to be throwing himself into work with redoubled energy.

-M. Poirot happened to be travelling on the Blue Train.

-The bonds seemed literally to have vanished into thin air.

-Life at The Hollow seemed to have resumed its normal course.

-Your wishes seemed to be shared by my partner.

-There was no book here which appeared to have been read.

-The local constable happened to have been transferred from a village fifteen miles away.

#3 – “is likely to win”

-I am likely to be in England for the next six months.

-We are not likely to cover ourselves with glory over it.

-We should consult him on any point that seems likely to be useful.

-Lucy is sure to insist on showing us the rock garden.

-A fair-haired Mrs. Robinson was pretty sure to come along sooner or later.

-On the sofa she saw the book that Edward was sure to be reading.

-She is quite likely to have shot him.

Participles for describing physical appearance

(“A blue-eyed boy”)

-a fair-haired girl; a stout red-faced lady; a good-looking, well-mannered young scoundrel; a heavily-moustached foreign gentleman; dark-blue, long-lashed eyes; his beaked nose; the square-faced man; a black-browed woman; egg-faced, scarlet-lipped girls; a goodhumoured face; he was hot-tempered; an aged white-haired butler; a sad-eyed adult; a broad-shouldered man; a golden-haired, blue-eyed lady; She stared at him open-mouthed.