Practice

Ex. 1 Define noun and verbal characteristics of the infinitive. State the form of the infinitive.

Model: She promised to write letters regularly.

“to write” is the Indefinite Infinitive Active. As a noun it is used in the function of an object. As a verb it takes a direct object (letters) and is modified by an adverb (regularly).

1. Mr. Gordon began to breathe heavily. 2. The Farrells like to tell jokes. 3. “She must have been combing her hair,” she said, “when they came for her.” 4. I haven’t meant to scold and don’t expect to be scolded. 5. He demanded to be taken to see the baby. 6. Could you ask him to come as soon as he can? 7. To hear him talk is an education in itself. 8. There’s nothing to be done with her. 9. I think we ought to be starting. 10. I cannot imagine why you should ever have been prevented from seeing the baby. 11. Jimmie tells me he is prepared to sign the statement. 12. They must be intending to go for a swim. 13. You might have thought of Miguel. 14. Our task is to master English.

Ex. 2 Comment on the forms of the infinitives. Translate the sentences.

1. He seems to be playing tennis now. 2. Carol didn't want to bother anyone, and she didn't want to be bothered. 3. I'm sorry to have done it. 4. She heard him open the door. 5. What has made her leave us so soon? 6. If you think it is necessary to make changes, you must choose the right moment to make them. 7. For about ten days we seemed to have been living on nothing but cold meat, cake and bread and jam. 8. Septimus Horatio Cornwallis did not live up to his name. With such a name he should have been a cabinet minister, an admiral, or at least a rural dean. 9.1 was in far too happy a mood, good fortune seemed to be following me like a huge affectionate dog. 10. To be fair, the chef's salad was superb although I confess it was hard to appreciate such food fully while trying to guess if I found the bill come to over fifty-seven pounds. 11. One particular anxiety that always came up with a large construction contract was the government's ability to pay, and pay on time. 12. The work seems to have been done in haste.

Ex 3. Look through table A and complete the following sentences by changing the verb in brackets to the correct active or passive form.

1. The massive house seemed (make) of wood.

2. A young manager hopes (give) a promotion very soon.

3. It's such a shock. She has never expected (tell) a lie.

4. Both business partners promise the goods (load) at once.

5. Both business partners promise (load) the goods at once.

6. Our team leader wanted the work (do) as soon as possible.

7. It's important (listen) to people.

8. It’s important (listen) by people.

9. She hopes (choose) for the national team.

10. She doesn’t like (listen) to music while she’s working.

11. He doesn't like (interrupt) while he's working.

12. They will (repair) your watch by Tuesday.

13. Your watch will (repair) by Tuesday.

Ex. 4 Look through table B and rewrite the sentences using the verbs in brackets. Mind the forms of the infinitives corresponding to the tense forms.

1. She has lost her job. (seem) …….she seems to have lost her job.

2. Ann has accepted to work there. (seem) ……………………………………..

3. He is working hard. (appear) ……………………………………..

4. They have been watching TV all afternoon. (seem) ……………………………………

5. Tom missed the train. (appear) ………………………………………

6. They are moving house. (seem) ………………………………………

7. She found the solution. (claim) ………………………………………

8. It has been raining hard. (appear) ……………………………………….

9. She is reading a magazine. (pretend) ……………………………………….

10. Sharon tells lies. (tend) ……………………………………….

Ex. 5 Rewrite these sentences using perfect infinitives.

1. Model: I’m glad that I have left school.

I’m glad to have left school.

1. I'm glad I've met you.

2. I was sorry I had disturbed him.

3. I expect I'll have passed all my exams by June.

4. It seems that you made a mistake. (You seem...)

5. I'm happy that I've had a chance to talk to you.

6. I was disappointed that I had missed the party.

7. It seems that she's got lost.

8. She was pleased that she had found the house.

b) Use perfect infinitive to express a prior action that was not carried out:

Model: He didn’t go to art college.He fell ill.

He was to have gone to art college but he fell ill. (He didn't go.)

1. She didn't marry a friend of her parents. (was to)

2. I didn't see his face when he realised what had happened. (would like to)

3. He didn't finish all his work by three o'clock. (mean)

4. We didn't spend a week skiing. (were to)

5. It wasn't the happiest week of my life. (was to)

6. She didn't say goodbye to everybody before she left. (mean)

7. I didn't live in the seventeenth century. (would like)

8. He didn't play in the Cup Final. (was to)

9. I wasn’t sitting there when she walked in. (would like)

10. I didn’t telephone you. I forgot. (mean)

Ex. 6 Use the right form of infinitive after modal verbs.

1. 1 I ought (work) right now.

2. 2 If you needed money, you should (ask) me.

3. 3 I'd like (go) home early today.

4. 4 I'd like (see) her face when she opened the letter.

5. 5 She must (have) a shower - I can hear the water running.

6. 6 You should (tell) me you were ill.

7. 7I should like (invite) him to the concert.

8. 8 I should like him (invite) to the concert.

9. 9 You should (pay) me last week. Why didn’t you?

10. 10 He could (kill)somebody, driving like that.

11. 11 He might (wash) my jeans after he borrowed them.

Ex 7. Complete the following sentences by changing the verb in brackets to the correct form.

1. I suppose she might ____ (tell) him that she didn’t love him any more .

2. The parents happen ____ (look for) their missing child everywhere since early morning.

3. He seems _____ (do) his homework now.

4. I was really sorry ____ (keep) my friend for two hours at the station but I didn’t know she was waiting for me there.

5. We pretend _____ (hear) from him a week ago.

6. The teacher could _____ (give) the class a test that day but he was suddenly taken ill.

7. Try (not make) this mistake again.

8. The weather seems (improve). Let’s go for a walk.

9. The meeting was supposed (start) two hours ago.

10. Mathew seems (study) too hard these days.

11. Alice appears (work) on her essay since early morning.

Ex. 8. Complete the following sentences by changing the verb in brackets to the correct form.

1. She has decided (accept) my offer.

2. I’m hoping (leave) by then so I won’t be able to come with you.

3. This carpet is filthy; it really needs (clean) soon.

4. The waste from the power station is said (pollute) the atmosphere for months.

5. It will be much too hot (wear) a coat.

6. You must have been thirsty (drink) all that water.

7. He appears(injure) as a result of the fight.

8. You’re not expected (pay) the whole amount today.

9. The report was supposed (finish) two hours ago.

10. He claims (discover) a cure for the common cold.

11. Can I trust you (keep) this secret?

12. Try (not be) late again.

Ex. 9. Use the required form of the infinitive

1 He seemed ... all the friendliness he had shown at our previous meeting, (to lose)

2. "I happen ... her lawyer and she telephoned to me," I said to the man. (to be)

3. It became clear that Charles was still idle. He seemed ... scarcely any law. (to read)'

4. The cat seems ... missing for about three weeks, (to be)

5. He appeared ... that they had had the first serious difference of opinion in the whole of their married life. (to forget)

6. "Dr Salt, what do you think you're doing?" "People seem… me that for days," said Dr Salt mildly, (to ask)

7. Not going home, in fact, seemed lately ... the pattern of his life. (to become)

8. My mother thought that his hobbies would get him nowhere. In this she turned out ... wrong, (to be)

9. It seemed ... in the room. The floor, the chairs, the desk were covered in drifts of white. It was torn paper, (to snow)

10. She leant far over the banister and strained her ears. All the family seemed….. at once. (to talk)

11.The general seemed ... a great deal. (to age)

12. Charles met me the first day I came to London, and our friendship seemed ... a long time. (to establish)

13. He did not even seem ... what the fuss was about, (to understand)

14. In front of one window there was a small table and Harry was sitting at it, peering at a pile of papers which he seemed… or ... . (to copy, to translate)

15. When I arrived there I didn't see the dog. Not much else seemed ... . (to change)

16. Then I caught sight of her on the far side of the square. She seemed ... good-bye to someone, (to say)

Ex. 10. Translate the following into English:

1. Это оказалось правдой. (to turn out)

2. Он, кажется, получил все, что хотел. (to seem)

3. «Где мисс Стоун?» - «Она, кажется, работает в библиотеке». (to seem)

4. Казалось, что у него нет дружеских отношений ни с кем в отделе. (to appear)

5. Его сведения оказались неправильными. (to turn out)

6. Казалось, что она пишет или рисует. (to seem)

7. Казалось, что сплетни эти не были восприняты моими братьями всерьез. (to seem)

8. Он, кажется, мой единственный друг. (to seem)

9. Мой отец слушал серьезно или, по крайней мере, создавалось впечатление, что он слушал. (to appear)

10. У нас, кажется, уже был этот разговор раньше. (to seem)

11. Похоже, никто из вас не знает, как вести себя прилично. (to seem)

12. Казалось, что его удивил этот слух. (to seem)

13. Было такое впечатление, что он не слышал, что она сказала. (to appear)

14. Я не знал этого парня, но он, кажется, всем тогда понравился. (to seem)

15. Случилось так, что он был приглашен на обед к Роджеру. (to happen)

16. Так случилось, что я первый узнал об этом. (to happen)

17. Позже они проводили много времени вместе, потому что он оказался хорошим парнем. (to prove)

18. Боб взглянул на мать, чтобы понять, как она реагирует на разговор. Но она, казалось, не слушала. (to seem)