Case Checking of Infinitival Clause

Abstract

This paper aims to propose a descriptive generalization of Case-checking and movement of complement clauses in English. It is argued that finite CPs in English subject positions can bear Case features projected by the complementizer, that is, the complementizer that, of the CPs. I also argue that infinitival clauses behave in nearly the same way as finite CPs do. To account for these syntactic phenomena, I propose a unified account of Case-checking and movement of CP which states that only lexical functional heads such as complementizers that, for (for CPs) and to (for infinitival clauses) can bear Case features but non-lexical functional heads, Infl, cannot bear Case features. I argue that the topicalized CP leaves a Case-checked trace and that the expletive it must precede and c-command the extraposed CP which is Caseless, checking Case features of the head.