Учебное пособие 1583

Note 1. When feel denotes mental perception, and is therefore more or less equivalent in meaning to think, it takes an infinitive with to.

We felt the idea to be a good one.

This construction is confined almost exclusively to the infinitive to be.

Note 2. The verbs know and help may be followed by an infinitive either with or without to.

I have never known him (to) lose his temper. I helped him (to) mend the puncture.

After help it is more usual to insert to (at least, in British English). There are cases where its omission would be unidiomatic, as for instance:

These tablets will help you to sleep. Writing out a poem will help you to learn it.

After know it is more usual to omit the to except with the verb to be when it denotes the existence of a fact or situation. Thus we should say:

I have never known him be angry with the children. I have never known him be cruel with animals.

Here be refers to a person's attitude, conduct or behaviour, and therefore denotes an action rather than a state. But we could not omit the to from such sentences as:

Everyone knew him to be the author of the pamphlet. I have always known him to be an honest man.

Generally speaking, the to is not omitted if the infinitive

construction could be replaced by an object clause.

Everyone knew that he was the author of the pamphlet.

Exercise 11. Put to where necessary before the infinitives:

1. The teacher made me … repeat it all over again. 2. You needn‘t ask for permission, I let you … take my books whenever you like. 3. Will you help me … move the table? 4. He is expected

…arrive in a few days. 5. You seem … know these places very well. 6. You had better … make a note of it. 7. I heard the door … open and saw a shadow … move across the floor. 8. He told me … try … do it once again. 9. I‘d rather … walk a little before going to bed. 10. There is nothing … do but … wait till somebody comes … let us out. 11. You ought not … show your feelings. 12. Why not

…wait a little longer? 13. I felt her … shiver with cold. 14. We should love you … stay with us. 15. You are not … mention this to anyone. 16. We got Mother … cut up some sandwiches. 17. Rose wanted them … stop laughing, wanted the curtain … come down. 18. I‘ll have … go there. 19. There doesn‘t seem … be anything wrong with you. 20. She helped me … get over my fear. 21. Look here, Jane, why … be so cross? 22. He was seen … make a note of it. 23. What made you … deceive me? 24. He was not able … explain anything.

Exercise 12. Complete the sentences so that the meaning is similar to the first sentence.

M o d e l: My father said I could use his car. – My father allowed me to use his car.

1.I was surprised that it rained. – I didn‘t expect

……………………..

2.Don‘t stop him doing what he wants. – Let

………………………………

3.He looks older when he wears glasses. – Glasses make

……………………………

4.I think you should know the truth. – I want

……………………………..

5.Don‘t let me forget to phone my sister. – Remind

…………………………….

6.At first I didn‘t want to apply for the job but Sarah

persuaded me. – Sarah persuaded …………………..

7.My lawyer said I shouldn‘t say anything to the police. – My lawyer advised …………………….

8.I was told that I shouldn‘t believe everything he says. – I was warned …………………………

9.If you‘ve got a car, you are able to travel round more easily. – Having a car enables …………………..

10.I don‘t think Ann should watch the late film. – I don‘t want ………………………..

11.She is going to tidy her clothes away. Her mother asked her to do it. – Her mother wants …………………..

12.Why don‘t you come to my party? I would like

……………………………….

13.Mike fell into the swimming pool on his wedding day.

I‘ll never forget that. – I‘ll never forget ……………………

14.I don‘t think my secretary should attend the meeting. – I don‘t want …………………………...

Exercise 13. Transform each pair of sentences into one with a Complex Object.

1. The announcer called the flight. I‘ve heard it. 2. The plane took off. We all have seen it. 3. The children should go on with the game. Please let them. 4. He has taken your dictionary. Did you allow him? 5. Pete didn‘t know how to fix the TV set. I helped him. 6. Ann can‘t be cruel with children. I‘ve never known her that way. 7. He is the author of that bestseller. Everybody knows it. 8.

You must search the prisoner. It‘s the commander‘s order. 9. We were waiting for the delegation. It was due to arrive. 10. The

speaker called on all those presents to support the campaign.

You‘ve heard it, haven‘t you?

THE COMPLEX SUBJECT

(THE NOMINATIVE WITH THE INFINITIVE)

As a rule, a passive verb is followed by the infinitive with to, even if the to is omitted in the corresponding active form of the sentence.

We heard the teacher give the instruction.(active) — The teacher was heard to give the instruction. (passive)

The latter sentence includes the so-called complex subject. This construction is used as the subject of a sentence and is expressed by a noun (or pronoun) + an infinitive which follows the passive predicate. The two elements of this construction, though standing apart, are closely connected and form one syntactical unit.

Thus in the sentence ―The teacher was heard to give the instruction‖ the italicized words form a complex subject to the predicate was heard. It means ―What was heard is the teacher giving the instruction‖.

The complex subject is used:

1. with verbs expressing permission, request, intention, order, compulsion (allow, permit, order, force, make, request, mean, intend, etc.).

The children were allowed to play in the open.

He was made to do the work all over again.

2. with verbs of sense perception (see, hear, feel, notice, etc.)

He was seen to leave the house early in the morning.

3. with verbs of mental perception (expect, know, believe, think).

The delegation was expected to arrive the next day. He is believed to be a great authority on the subject.

(4) with verbs of saying and reporting (say, report, etc.).

This medicine is said to be very effective. The plane was reported to have crashed not far from the airfield.

The complex subject is typical of literary or formal style; it is also widely used in newspaper articles.

Less formal is the construction with the anticipatory it.

It was reported that the plane had crashed near the air-field.

Exercise 14. State the functions of infinitives in the following sentences.

A 1. He came into the room to shut the window. 2. He seemed to know all about influenza and said there was nothing to worry about. 3. Do you want me to read to you? 4. I made a note of the time to give the various capsules. 5. They said the boy had refused to let anyone come into the room. 6. You can‘t come in. You mustn‘t get what I have. 7. Don‘t make me laugh. 8. It took me about five minutes to work out how much a suit at nine and a half guineas would cost. 9. The British Museum is much too big to be seen in an hour or so. 10. Father decided to take a holiday from his office so as to help in celebrating the day. 11. It was necessary to make it in a day, just on Monday. 12. She was sitting near enough to see his face. 13. That‘s how I used to be myself. 14. A railway station is the most difficult of all places to act in. 15. I think the best way to get a general idea of the country is to study the map. 16. If he couldn‘t get something to do he‘d have to commit suicide. 17. You may fail in your English if you go on like that. 18. It‘s true there was no scenery to stare at, but the costumes and make-up, the light and sound effects helped the audience to concentrate on the

dialogue and acting. 19. It seemed a privilege to lend anything to him. 20. Thank you for your very kind invitation to visit you and stay with you. 21. It made our mouths water to hear him talk about such tasty things.

B 1. Lady Franklin was horrified at herself. To have asked his name, to have been told his name and to have forgotten it. 2. She seemed to be paying no attention to what was going on round her. 3. He suddenly awoke from his queer trance, there was a decision to be made. 4. Good-bye, Mr. Jackson. Glad to have been of service to you. 5. I say, don‘t you think you ought to be going? 6. He was very tired, and to have been caught napping had irritated him and hurt his pride. 7. There are a great many things to be taken into consideration. 8. Judging from the books and papers on the writingtable he must have been working since they left him in the morning. 9. She told them to take off their shoes so that their footsteps could not be heard in the flat below. 10. ―We are very sorry to have disturbed you,‖ began Peter. 11. I want you to promise me you won‘t talk to Antonia about that sort of things. 12. That woman is still sitting. She seems to have been waiting over an hour. 13. Well, funny things seem to be happening. 14. To have been so happy and not to have known it! 15. There was nothing to be done, but to wait for the next express, which was due at four.

Exercise 15. Point out the Complex Object and the Complex Subject with the Infinitive. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1.The pills my doctor has given me make me feel rather odd.

2.I want you to say to yourself that he died a gallant death in the service of his country, and we must be proud of him. 3. I had seen my father leave the house that very morning. 4. Just as he was falling into unconsciousness he heard his door open and quickly shut. 5. George was sure that fresh air and exercise would make us sleep well. 6. I‘ve never known a chap spend so much time on radiograms. 7. I thought it to be the signal to start. 8. We didn‘t expect him to come back so soon and were wondering what had

happened. 9. She felt somebody touch her gently by the hand. 10.

I‘d like it to be done as quietly as possible, without attracting anybody‘s attention. 11. She didn‘t seem to notice his unfriendly voice. 12. The number to which I had been directed turned out to be a house standing a little by itself, with its back to the river. 13. ―He appears to be asleep, my lady,‖ said the butler. 14. Lady Franklin seemed to expect an answer. 15. The boy was made to repeat his story twice. 16. Professor Lee was expected to join the expedition in North Africa, but he had fallen ill. 17. He was heard to say that it would rain and ordered the door to the balcony to be shut. 18. I looked at the house with suspicious curiosity, and it seemed to be looking back at me. 19. He is said to have been a sailor in his youth.

20. You‘re not likely to keep us company, Jim, are you?

Exercise 16. Transform these sentences using a complex subject.

1. We heard the commander give the instruction. 2. People saw the rocket fly up. 3. The colonel ordered the lieutenant to question the prisoner. 4. The mother allows her children to play in the open. 5. The instructor made him do the work all over again. 6. They say this medicine is very effective. 7. We believe him to be a great authority on the subject. 8. They expected the delegation to arrive the next day. 9. We suppose that Bob Wilcot will appear on TV tonight. 10. As was reported in the press, the plane crashed while landing.

THE FOR-COMPLEX

This construction is introduced by the preposition for. It consists of a noun or a pronoun in the objective case + an infinitive (or an infinitive word-group). The for-complex is used as:

1. Subject

For him to admit it would be to surrender. It is not for me to

decide. It is time for you to act.

2.Predicative

The best thing to do is for us to come to an agreement.

3.Object

We waited patiently for the letter to be answered. Father thought it necessary for me to accept the offer. The conference called for the Government to take measures against growing unemployment.

4. Attribute

It was the only thing for me to do. The speaker proposed a draft resolution for the T. U. Council to act upon.

5. Adverbial modifier of purpose

For good relations to develop the other party must give up its policy of aggression.

Exercise 17. Complete the sentences as in the model.

M o d e l: The supermarket has a car park for the customers to park their cars in.

1.The hotel has a gym for the guests ……………………….

2.The school has a playground for the children

…………………………

3.The office block has a restaurant for the staff

…………………………

4.The bus has a bin for the passengers

……………………………….

5.The plane has lockers for the passengers

………………………….

6. The youth club has a cloakroom for the members

……………………………….

Exercise 18. Rewrite the sentences using for, as in the model.

M o d e l: He shouldn‘t play his music so loud. It‘s too late.

–It‘s too late for him to play his music so loud.

1.Barry must go to the bank today. It‘s necessary. 2. They must finish their homework. It‘s important. 3. No one has taken my order yet. I‘m still waiting. 4. You should move to the town center.

It will be more convenient. 5. John should learn a foreign language. That would be a good idea. 6. There are shops in the hotel. Guests can do their shopping. 7. The teacher spoke loudly. Everyone could hear him. 8. I‘ve brought some magazines so that you can read them. 9. Children shouldn‘t play with matches. It‘s dangerous.

Exercise 19. Paraphrase, using for-phrases with infinitives.

1. She held out the telegram so that I might see it. 2. It‘s quite natural that you should think so. 3. The first thing he must do is to ring them up. 4. Let us wait till they settle this matter. 5. This is a problem you should solve all by yourself. 6. I shall bring you the article that you may read. 7. I gave an umbrella to the children lest they should get wet through. 8. I‘ve put on weight. I can‘t wear this dress any longer. 9. It is unbelievable that a man should go so far beyond his limit. 10. He spoke loudly so that everyone might hear him. 11. There is nothing that I may add. 12. It is very unusual that he should have said such a thing. 13. It‘s high time you knew

Grammar well. 14. This is a boy you can play with.

NOTES ON RENDERING THE ENGLISH INFINITIVE IN

RUSSIAN

The infinitive in English has certain forms and functions which are not typical of the Russian infinitive. Therefore it is not always possible to retain the infinitive in Russian translation.

(1) One of the most difficult cases is the use of the perfect infinitive which has no equivalent in Russian. Compare the following examples:

(2) The infinitive used as attribute is sometimes translated by the Russian infinitive, but it is more often rendered by an attributive clause.