Non-finite clauses

Question

In the sentence "The enthusiastic support of Henman's fans...has led to the term 'Henmania' being coined", what is the function of 'being coined'?

Similarly, in the sentence "As players and fans left the ground...a number of them paused to watch TV screens showing an up and coming sporting hero", what is the function of 'showing an up and coming sporting hero'?

Miriam · Accepted Answer

Hello, Guest.

Your first sentence is ugly to analyse! ~L~
"Being coined" is the predicate of the noun phrase "the term 'Henmania'", and both constructions together, "the term Henmania being coined", is the direct object of "led to".
I think the sentence is somewhat difficult to analyse syntactically precisely because of the "being coined" part. It is a non-finite verb construction and, probably to make matters worse, it is a passive construction.

Your second sentence is easier.
"Showing an up and coming sporting hero" is a reduced relative clause (another non-finite clause). How can you tell? Because reduced relative clauses can be "extended" into finite relative clauses, that is, clauses with a finite verb. Your sentence could have been:
"... a number of them paused to watch T.V. screens that were showing an up and coming sporting hero".
The reduced clause in your original sentence is a postmodifier of the nown "screen", and the whole construction from "TV screens" to the end of the sentence is the direct object of the verb "to watch".

Hope it helps.

Miriam

Non-finite clauses

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