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/