Hey Kathleen (and everyone)-- Given the parallel in your paraphrase between "seemed to have planned" and "may have planned," would it be reasonable to parse "seem to" as a complex modal auxiliary, lie "have to" ('hafta'), "ought to" ('oughta') and "be going to" ('be gonna')? Seth *Dr. Seth Katz* *Associate **Professor* *Associate Chair* *Department of English* *Bradley University* *Peoria, IL 61625* *(309) 677-2479* *Executive Director / Faculty Adviser* *Bradley University Hillel* *(309) 676-0862* On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 6:46 AM, John Chorazy <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Kathleen - but "almost seemed" or "seemed almost" would mean something > very different than "almost planned" in this sentence. If I'm reading this > correctly, it feels like the intention of the speaker is to suggest that > Stead seemingly plans his entrances, not that he almost plans them. > > -John > > > On Mon, Feb 8, 2016 at 3:22 PM, Kathleen Ward <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> I would think that this is sentence contains an infinitive clause, >> "almost to have planned his entrance," functioning as the complement to >> the main verb, "seems." >> >> It's also an example how awkward a sentence can be when you are bound and >> determined not to split the infinitive "to have planned" with the adverb >> "almost." >> >> Kathleen Ward >> >> On Mon, Feb 8, 2016 at 6:51 AM, Scott Woods < >> [log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >>> Dear List: >>> >>> How would you analyze the verb in the following sentence? >>> >>> A professional individualist, William T. Stead seemed almost to have >>> planned his entrance. >>> >>> How would you analyze: "almost to have planned his entrance"? >>> >>> Here is a similar sentence which seems easier to analyze. >>> >>> A professional individualist, William T. Stead may have planned his >>> entrance. >>> >>> >>> Thanks for the help, >>> >>> Scott Woods >>> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web >>> interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select >>> "Join or leave the list" >>> >>> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ >>> >> >> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web >> interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select >> "Join or leave the list" >> >> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ >> > > > > -- > John Chorazy > English III Academic and Honors, AP Lit > Advisor, *Panther Press* > Pequannock Township High School > 973.616.6000 > > > > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface > at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or > leave the list" > > Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/