Abstract
In this paper, I will examine the historical development of perfect constructions in English and propose a licensing condition on perfect participles: Perfect participles are licensed either through the Spec-Head relation with a subject, or by adjunction to HAVE. In earlier English, asymmetrical auxiliary selection was observed, since the two options were available to license the participles. In present-day English, by contrast, only the latter option is permitted, and then have is used in perfect constructions (which I call‘symmetrical’auxiliary selection). I will further claim that the shift from asymmetrical to‘symmetrical’auxiliary selection was caused by the‘complete’loss of overt verb raising.
