• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.49
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• pp.1-32
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• 2017

This paper discusses the structural and meaning features of causative from/for V-ing constructions as complement and provides insight on their grammatical characteristics revealed from alternation between prepositions for and from in nonfinite V-ing complement clause constructions. Guided by empirical data, this paper demonstrates that there are three types of syntactic patterns classified by the main verbs in these constructions and that these three syntactic types are closely linked with the meaning. These classifications are supported by the passivizations and aspect. In addition, this paper suggests that the function of for and from followed by nonfinite V-ing clause should be treated as a preposition introducing nonfinite V-ing clauses.