English Grammar for University Students. Part 4

The Infinitive is a part of a complex subject as a part of the Subjective Infinitive Construction.

He was seen toenter the room.

1. Part of the predicate

The Infinitive is used in predicates of several types, both nominal and verbal.

a) Predicative (part of a compound nominal predicate)

My dream is to travel around the world.

Sometimes doing the right thing is to do nothing at all.

b) Secondary predicative (part of a predicative)

She is .

He is .

The house is .

In this function the action expressed by the Infinitive is aimed at the subject.

c) Part of a compound verbal predicate

The Infinitive is used in a compound verbal modal predicate after modal verbs, modal expressions, and verbs with modal meaning.

Do you really have to leave so early?

I am willing to go to the theatre with you.

Jane likes to fish.

The Infinitive serves as a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate after verbs denoting beginning, continuation, repetition or cessation of the action. These verbs are to begin, to come, to start, to continue, to go on, etc.

Schoolchildren begin to study at half past eight.

We used to go swimming every evening when in Nice.

At the next lesson the teacher went on to explain the functions of the Infinitive.

The above mentioned verbs can also be used with a Gerund, although with a certain difference in meaning.

For example, the verb to stop + Gerund means to finish an action, to interrupt, as for to stop + Infinitive, it means to make a pause in order to do something. That is why the Infinitive after the verb to stop is used in the function of an adverbial modifier of purpose.

He stopped smoking for health reasons.

He stopped to rest for a few minutes

Go on + Gerund means to continue with the action. Go on + Infinitive means to do the next action, or change the activity.

He went on speaking for two hours.

After her early teaching career she went on to become a doctor.

3. Object

Most commonly used verbs followed by the Infinitive are the following: afford, agree, aim, appear, arrange, bother, care, claim, consent, decide, demand, determine, fail, guarantee, hesitate, hope, learn, manage, offer, prepare, pretend, proceed, promise, propose, refuse, resolve, seek, strive, swear, threaten, trouble, undertake, volunteer, vow.

The Infinitive may also be used as an object after an adjective. The most commonly occurring of them are: amazed, delighted, lucky, relieved, afraid, disappointed, sad, anxious, determined, shocked, ashamed, eager, pleased, astonished, fortunate, prepared, surprised, careful, glad, proud, sorry, certain, happy, ready, upset, content, hesitant, reluctant, willing, pleased, interested, etc.

: Sometimes the introductory object it is used.

He found it difficult to spot her in the crowd.

4. Attribute

The Infinitive in this function may modify nouns, substantivized adjectives, pronouns, numerals.

This is much to ask.

England, once «the workshop of the world», was the first to become a highly developed industrial country.

Hope is the last to die.

When we go out, he’s always the one to pay.

5. Adverbial modifier

The Infinitive can be used as an adverbial modifier of purpose, subsequent events, consequence, attendant circumstances, comparison, condition, exception, time, cause, or motivation [Кобрина, Корнеева, 2009].