The infinitive as predicative

link verb + infinitive

1. In this function the infinitive is mostly used after the link verbs ‘to be’ and ‘to mean’, e.g.

• Steve’s intention was to solve this problem as soon as possible. = Намерением Стива было решить эту проблему как можно скорее. / Наміром Стива було вирішити цю проблему якомога швидше.

• To hesitate means to lose. = Колебаться – значит проиграть. / Коливатися - значить програти

2. In this function the infinitive is often met after several special nouns used as the subject of the sentence. Their number is limited. The most commonly used nouns are:

action	custom	happiness	need	reason	thing
advice	difficulty	hope	order	risk	wish
aim	dream	ideal	object	role
ambition	duty	idea	plan	rule
attempt	experience	instruction	principle	responsibility
business	function	job	problem	task
consequence	habit	method	purpose	target

• The best thing was not to argue. = Лучше было не спорить. / Краще було не сперечатися.

• Their instruction was not to lose the old man out of sight. = Инструкция была такой – не потерять старика из виду. / Інструкція була такою - не упустити старого з виду.

• The problem was to be given further instructions in time. = Проблема состояла в том, чтобы получить дальнейшие инструкции вовремя. / Проблема полягала в тому, щоб одержати подальші інструкції вчасно.

3. In the function of the predicative infinitive can often be preceded by the connectors how, when, where and what, e.g.

• The question is what to do first. = Вопрос состоял в том, что делать сначала. / Питання полягало в тому, що робити спочатку.

• The decision to make was where to start looking for the missing children. = Решение, которое нужно было принять – где начинать искать пропавших детей. / Рішення, яке потрібно було прийняти - де починати шукати зниклих дітей.

4. Not only special nouns but also some other parts of speech can be used as the subject, e.g.

   1. a subject clause, e.g.

• совет. / Якнайбільше, що я можу зробити - це дати пораду.

• The least you could do is (to) give me her phone number. = Самое меньшее, что ты можешь сделать – это дать мне ее номер телефона. / Найменше, що ти можеш зробити - це дати мені її номер телефону.

• All he wanted was to be left alone. = Все, что он хотел – это, чтобы его оставили в покое. / Усе, що він хотів - це, щоб його залишили в спокої.

2. a gerundial phrase, e.g. Living with Edward was to have a constant nightmare. = Жить с Эдуардом означало жить в постоянном кошмаре. / Жити з Едуардом означало жити в постійному кошмарі.

Note: in this function the infinitive can be used without particle ‘to’.

5. Infinitive can also perform the function of part of a predicative when the other part is expressed by an adjective. The sentences usually have a passive meaning. The adjectives that are usually used in this function are as follows:

amusing

comfortable

easy

hard

impossible

pleasant

possible

• A true friend is difficult to find. It is the greatest of all blessings. = Верного друга трудно найти. Это самая большая удача. / Вірного друга важко знайти. Це найбільша удача.

• Our boss is not easy to persuade. = Нашего начальника трудно убедить. / Нашого начальника важко переконати.

• This armchair is comfortable to sit in. = В этом кресле удобно сидеть. / У цьому кріслі зручно сидіти.

• The old lady was pleasant to look at. = На старую леди было приятно смотреть. / На стару леді було приємно дивитися.

TASK 10. Write sentences with infinitives in the function of part of predicative using the given words. Add some explanation and translate your sentences into your mother tongue. Follow the example.

Example. film /interesting / to see - This film is interesting to see if you like travel films.

1. the book / not easy / to find / unless

2. historical novels / useful / to read

3. such complicated stories / not easy / to retell/ no plot

4. the story / not difficult / to read / original

5. the expedition / easy / to organize

6. the puppy / pleasant / to look at

7. our history teacher / hard / to please

8. the dean of our department / pleasant / to talk to

9. the room / not comfortable / to live in

10. the car/dangerous / to drive / too old

11. the cottage /easy / to build / large blocks

12. the essay/hard / to write / difficult topic

13. Peter/impossible / to talk to / impolite

14. the dictionary / possible / to find / on sale

15. the child / easy / to influence / gullible

TASK 11. Sort out the sentences below into the corresponding column of the table. One sentence may contain infinitives in different functions. The first one is done for you.

Function	Number of the sentence
Subject
Predicate
Predicative	1,

1. The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never a want where the mind is satisfied. (Lucretius)

2. Our duty is to be useful not according to our desires, but according to our powers.

3. A true businessman’s absolute fundamental aim is to make money out of satisfying customers.

4. It is impossible to catch the past.

5. Diplomacy is to do and say the nastiest things in the nicest way.

6. To be born in poverty is to be doomed to humiliation.

7. One's first step in wisdom is to question everything - and one's last is to come to terms with everything.

8. It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err. (Mahatma Gandhi)

9. A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up. (Albert Schweitzer)

10. To follow, without halt, one aim: this is the secret of success. (Anna Pavlova)

11. Why be a man when you can be a success? (Bertolt Brecht)

12. It is possible to fail in many ways...while to succeed is possible only in one way. (Aristotle)

13. To love deeply in one direction makes us more loving in all others.

14. To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead. (Bertrand Russell)

15. To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.

16. To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge. (Benjamin Disraeli)

Step 2. Translate the sentences into your mother tongue. Explain how you understand the quotations given above and say whether you agree with them.

TASK 12. Translate into English paying special attention to infinitives in the function of the predicative.