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Complements of non-main verbs
quickinfo

In this section, an exposition is presented of the complements of non-main verbs. A non-main verb provides information relative to and complementary to the meaning of the main verb, which expresses the focal action or state of affairs of the clause as a whole, or relative to that of another non-main verb more closely linked to the main verb. The main verb always follows modal or linking verbs in the ordering of the clause, but precedes auxiliaries in clause-final clusters, as in (1a). The main verb may combine with a non-main verb in a complex initial cluster, as in (1b). Complex initial clusters may contain more than one non-main verb, as in (1c).

1
a. Ons hoor dat sy die nuwe motor leer bestuur het.
we hear.PRS that.COMP she the new car learn.LINK drive.INF have.AUX
We hear that she has learnt to drive the new car.
b. Sy leer bestuur nou die nuwe motor.
she learn.LINK drive.INF now the new car
She is now learning to drive the new car.
c. Sy bly probeer die nuwe motor bestuur.
she keep.on.LINK try.LINK the new car drive.INF
She keeps trying to drive the new car.
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