> 
> He failed to appear.  
> 
> 
> 
> (1) ✲ What he failed was to appear.   
> (2) What he failed to do was
>  appear.  
>  (Angela Downing, English Grammar: A University Course)
> 
> 
> 

[Oxford](http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fail?q=fail) has the case that *fail* takes noun phrase as its direct object(She failed her finals), but the book above says ‘He failed to appear.’ can’t be said as (1). Does the usage of *fail* without infinitive clause be limited only to certain meanings, like exams, tests?