about GERNUD

[param]

hi ,i am a new member of you r site
i was studing about gernud
and i fidn difficulties to undrstand these sentances .....
this is all i copied from site ................


Prefect infinitive: To have + past participle
1>>>They seem to have left.
She seemed to have visited

The event expected by perfect infinitive and perfect gerund
happened before the time of the main verb. ?????

They seem: now. To have left: before.
She seemed: before (yesterday).
To have visited: before (before yesterday).???


2>>>Perfect gerund: Having + past participle
She finishes having had courses.?????
T hey finished having had courses.???????

She finishes now having courses before (last week).???
They finished before having courses before (before last week).????


Please try to elaborate thesee questions.

TAHNX

PARAM

[Pete]

hi ,i am a new member of you r site
i was studing about gernud
and i fidn difficulties to undrstand these sentances .....
this is all i copied from site ................


Prefect infinitive: To have + past participle
1>>>They seem to have left.
She seemed to have visited

The event expected by perfect infinitive and perfect gerund
happened before the time of the main verb. ?????

They seem: now. To have left: before.
She seemed: before (yesterday).
To have visited: before (before yesterday).???


2>>>Perfect gerund: Having + past participle
She finishes having had courses.?????
T hey finished having had courses.???????

She finishes now having courses before (last week).???
They finished before having courses before (before last week).????


Please try to elaborate thesee questions.

TAHNX

PARAM
Your explanation about your example 1 is correct. I think you understand the perfect infinitive. The main verb makes a statement about a certain time. The perfect infinitive refers to some action that took place before that time.

There are problems in the second example, but they are more related to the use of the verb finishes. It is a continuous verb, so to talk about something happening at the present time, you say, "She is finishing … ." Also, the thing she is finishing is happening now; usually some true noun is more natural, but if you use a gerund, it is an ordinary one:

- She is finishing her studies this semester.
- She is finishing studying English this month.

Here is an example using a perfect gerund:

- She is sorry/was sorry for having forgotten his birthday.

"Is sorry" refers to the way she feels now. "Was sorry" refers to the way she felt some time in the past. In either case, the forgetting took place before the feeling sorry.

Contrast an ordinary gerund that shows a general action, not a specific action at a past time:

- He enjoys/enjoyed playing golf.

I hope this helps.