The Use of the Infinitive The Infinitive as Subject

§ 1. In this function the infinitive is always used with the particle to and usually expresses an action following the action denoted by the predicate verb.

e.g. To fulfil this condition was hopelessly out of my power.

To visit her was all that I desired.

The infinitive as subject may also express actions which are simultaneous with the action of the predicate verb,

e.g. To visit her is always a pleasure.

The infinitive often acquires the additional modal meaning of condition in this function. This meaning is generally supported by the use of the Conditional Mood in the sentence,

e.g. To take money from him would be like robbing a child (=if you took money from him...).

To take him seriously would be absurd (= if you took him seriously...)-

Sentences with the infinitive as subject have certain structural peculiarities:

a) The infinitive as subject may be used only in declarative sentences; it is never used in interrogative sentences.

b) The infinitive is always placed at the head of the sentence; it is never preceded by any secondary parts.

c) We generally find the nominal predicate in sentences of this kind. The predicative is usually expressed by a noun or an adjective, qualifying the action denoted by the infinitive.

e.g. To go with him to picture galleries was a rare treat.

To do it seemed a proper and natural thing.

Not to go back was awful.

Sometimes another infinitive is used as predicative,

e.g. To influence a person is to give him one's thoughts.

The use of the infinitive as subject is mainly found in literary English but even there it is infrequent.

The Infinitive as Predicative

§ 2. The infinitive is generally preceded by the particle to in this function and in most cases expresses an action which follows that of the link-verb.

The link-verb in sentences with the infinitive as predicative is always to be.

e.g. His highest ambition was to write a monumental work on art.

The job of a reporter is to expose and record.

His greatest wish was to tell her everything.

The only sensible thing is for you to go away.

The infinitive in this function always has appositive meaning, i.e- it explains the meaning of the subject of the sentence. Hence, sentences of this kind have the following structural peculiarity — the subject of the sentence can be expressed only by a limited number of nouns. They are nouns denoting abstract notions which admit of and sometimes even require an explanation of their meaning. The most commonly occurring of these nouns are: act, action, advice, aim, ambition, answer, business, consequence, custom, desire, difficulty, duty, function, habit, hope, idea, instruction, intention, job, method, need, object (=aim), order, plan, policy, problem, purpose, reason, requirement, role, rule, task, thing (usually with an attribute), thought, way, wish, work and some others (see the examples above).

The subject of the sentence may also be expressed by all (and occasionally by the least and the most) modified by an attributive clause which usually contains the verb to do.

e.g. All I want to do is to help you.

The least we can do is to try and understand their idea.

The most he could do at the moment was to give me a cigarette.

After this type of subject the infinitive may be used without to.

e.g. All I wanted to do was run away.

All we can do is stick to our decision.

Sentences with the subject expressed by all, the least and the most cannot be used in the interrogative form.

The infinitive as predicative, unlike the infinitive as subject, is found not only in literary style but also in spoken English.