A practical english grammar - Vyssaja skola 1978
Chapter 10 - Nonfinite verbs in the predicate
Sound symbols
One of the most interesting constructions in English is a verb, which we will call the characteristic verb, followed by a nonfinite verb in such a way that the second verb, along with its subjects, objects, and modifiers, if any, makes a phrase that is dependent on the characteristic verb. The nonfinite verb may be a base form (let us go), an infinitive (want us to go) or a gerund (enjoy going). The rules governing these patterns are rather complicated, and experience is the best teacher. Some verbs are followed by one type of structure and some by another. In a few cases there is a choice, with very little difference in meaning (start working, start to work); in other cases, one structure after the characteristic verb means one thing (remember doing something), and another means something quite different [remember to do something).
If the second verb is a verb that is itself the characteristic verb in one of these structures, a chain can be made consisting of three verbs (make us start working) or even more (used to enjoy having to start working). Only sense, style, and meaning impose any limit on the length of these constructions; there is no grammatical rule that says they can be just so long and no longer.
The nonfinite verb can, of course, be passive, progressive, or perfect. The passive consists of the correct form of be and a past participle (let it be seen, want us to be seen, enjoy being seen); the progressive, of be and an ing-form (let us be working, want us to be working; the ing-form does not ordinarily occur after being) ; the perfect, of have and a past participle (rarely occurs in patterns requiring the base form; want us to have worked, enjoy having worked). Even more complicated nonfinites sometimes occur, such as want us to have been working, enjoy having been seen.
Nonfinites are made negative by placing not just before them: let it not be seen, want us not to have finished, enjoy not being seen.
If the nonfinite does not have a subject, the subject of the next preceding verb is the logical subject of the nonfinite. For example:
He wants to have finished by tomorrow. (He is the logical subject of to have finished.)
He wants us to have finished by tomorrow. (Us, that is, the group that includes the speaker, is the subject of to have finished.)
Sometimes in a chain there may be several different subjects. In each case, if a nonfinite has no subject of its own, its logical subject is that of the next preceding verb.
Robert wanted me to tell Henry to stop working.