1．作主语，不合格
要点一：非谓语动词不讲时态，只讲语态。
(非谓语动词表示不出“时”，只表示主动或被动。fail与he是主动关系，故用-ing分词。)
例：
nixon lied. it finally led to his resignation.
*(his) lied finally led to nixon’s resignation.
当动词不作谓语也就是用非谓语动词时，就不再管时态——时态是谓语动词的事；要判断的是主被动的问题。lie与 nixon是主动关系，所以用-ing分词。
lying finally led to nixon’s resignation.或 nixon’s lying finally led to his resignation.
说谎导致尼克松辞职
考点
要点二：在主语位置，用-ing分词的被动式表被动的动作。
i am forced to struggle desperately with english. that is a tragedy.
我被迫拼命挣扎学习英语。这是一个悲剧。
*forced to struggle with english is a tragedy.
“-ing分词表主动，-ed分词表被动”有一个前提：-ed分词无名词性，不能作主宾语，所以有一个“凡是”：凡是相当于名词的时候，都由-ing分词来担当。如果被动，则用-ing分词的被动式)
being forced to struggle desperately with english is a tragedy. (或my being forced to struggle desperately with english is a tragedy.)
i still remember being taken to beijing for the first time.
he narrowly escaped being run over. 他差一点就被车轧着了。
mark often attempts to escape _____ whenever he breaks traffic regulations. (9506 cet-4)
a. having been finedb. to be finedc. to have been finedd. being fined
2．作宾语，不合格
grammar was misunderstood. she felt disappointed at that.
*grammar felt disappointed at misunderstood.
*grammar felt disappointed at misunderstanding.
grammar felt disappointed at being misunderstood.
语法被误解感到失望。
english was taken seriously. she resented that.
english resented being taken seriously.
他害怕英语，所以认真对待
考点
如前已述，非谓语动词不是按时态来进行选择。但有时-ing分词也可表示出一定的时间概念，如发生在前。但表示法不是用过去“时”，而是用完成“体”。注意：-ing分词的完成体此时主要用以强调动作“是否发生过”这一方面。
he denied having taken it.
他否认拿了它。
she regrets/repents having said it.
她后悔说了这话。
she admitted having read the letter.
她承认看过这封信。
i could not recall having heard anyone say that before.
我不记得以前听过谁说这样的话。
the man in the corner confessed to _____ a lie to the manager of the company. (9706 cet-4)
a. have toldb. be toldc. being toldd. having told
(注意此题中，confess to具有一定的迷惑性，其实它如look forward to一样，相当于一个及物动词， “to”非不定式符号。)
再复杂一点，把完成体再跟被动搅和在一起，形成-ing分词的完成被动式，表示发生在前面的被动动作。表面看似庞然大物的东西，自然也受出题者青睐。
i appreciate having been given the opportunity to study abroad two years ago.
he pride himself on having never been beaten in chess.
他为自己下棋从未被击败而自豪。
our modern civilization must not be thought of as _____ in a short period of time.
a. being treatedb. to have been createdc. having been createdd. to be created