The infinitive as adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances or subsequent events

As an adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances or subsequent events the Infinitive denotes an action that either takes place at the same time as the action of the predicate or after it. It gives some additional information about the subject and is semantically relatively independent. That’s why it can be transformed into a homogeneous predicate and is translated into Russian by a finite verb form as a homogeneous predicate joined by the conjunction и or sometimes но.

She woke up to see that the sun was shining. (= She woke up and saw that the sun was shining.) Она проснулась и увидела ...

At the age of forty-five he resigned never to return to public life. (= ... he resigned and never returned to public life.) В возрасте сорока пяти лет он подал в отставку и никогда не возвращался к общественной жизни.

As it is seen from the above examples the Infinitive in this function always follows the predicate verb and in this position should not be mixed up with the Infinitive used in the function of an adverbial modifier of purpose. Though they may have much in common from the point of view of their position, their meaning is quite different, in fact almost opposite.

She rushed home to find her purse and pay for the purchase. (= She rushed home in order to find her purse and pay for the purchase.) Она бросилась домой, чтобы найти кошелек и расплатиться за покупку.

She rushed home to find a thief exploring the house. (= She rushed home and found that a thief was exploring the house.) Она бросилась домой и обнаружила, что ее дом обыскивает вор.

In this function the Infinitive is often found after the verb-predicate expressed by a verb of motion (to come, to run, to rush, to leave, to return, to drive away, to get to some place, to arrive, etc)

I returned from Europe to find my house in ruins. Я вернулся из Европы и обнаружил, что дом мой разрушен.

Besides, the Infinitive itself is usually expressed by the following verbs:

1) by verbs denoting discovery: to find, to discover.

The children woke up to find no food in the house. Дети проснулись и обнаружили, что в доме нет еды.

He looked up to find her smiling. Он поднял глаза и увидел, что она улыбается.

Peter turned to Andrew only to discover that the young man was no longer there. Питер повернулся к Эндрю, но только обнаружил, что юноша уже ушел.

I came to discover that the Library Association had made their exams ten times as difficult. Я приехал и обнаружил, что Библиотечная Ассоциация сделала экзамен в десять раз труднее.

2) by verbs of sense perception: to see, to hear, to feel

She looked up to see a stranger coming up to them. Она подняла голову и увидела, что к ним подходит незнакомый человек.

Не turned to see a policeman. Он повернулся и увидел полицейского.

We got there in time to hear Hugh fire his gun. Мы добрались туда и как раз услышали, как Хью выстрелил.

3) by verbs denoting a change in a state or position: to appear, to disappear, to emerge, to die, to sink, etc.

He went to America to die of a heart attack. Он уехал в Америку и умер там от сердечного приступа.

Не came out on the porch to disappear again almost at once. Он вышел на крыльцо и почти сразу исчез снова.

In this function the Infinitive is often preceded by the adverb only:

He managed to obtain the concession only to find that no one really needed it. Он добился уступки, но обнаружил, что это никому не нужно.

They reached Le Havre in the early afternoon only to find that there was no steamer. Они добрались до Гавра вскоре после полудня и обнаружили, что парохода нет.

She stopped at the corner only to understand that she had to go on. Она остановилась на углу и/, но поняла, что надо идти дальше.

Exercise 91. Underline the Infinitive or the Infinitive phrase used as adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances/subsequent events. Translate the sentences into Russian.

Model 1: He got up to say that he had to go. Он встал и сказал, что должен идти.

Model 2: She made him confess only to understand that his confession didn’t move her. Она заставила его признаться и/но лишь поняла, что его признание ее не трогает.

1. Не left her never to see her again. 2. Oscar left us only to realize soon that he couldn’t live alone. 3. We saw him off never to hear from him. 4. She argued with her mother only to find out she was wrong. 5. I heard some noise in the front room and went downstairs to see that there was nobody there. 6. They bought a new house never to live there. 7. The phone rang and he entered the room to find that his wife was talking with Eliza. 8. He visited his aunt to see that she was seriously ill. 9. She opened her purse only to find that it was nearly empty. 10. The police arrived almost immediately only to find that the criminal had disappeared. 11. I turned around just in time to see her look at her husband. 12. He returned home to find the window broken.

Exercise 92. Join the sentences using an Infinitive or an Infinitive phrase as adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances/subsequent events. Paraphrase the sentences. Use the words suggested.

Model: She tried to persuade him not to do it. Soon she realized that she failed. (only to realize) She tried to persuade him not to do it only to realize that she failed to.

1. She made Laura call the police. She felt it was too late. (only to understand) 2. The teacher asked Helen’s parents to come. She found out they had gone abroad on business. (to find out) 3. Sally often complained of severe pains in her back. Her husband wasn’t sorry for her. (only to see) 4. The child woke up. He saw that he was alone. (to see) 5. He threatened the woman. He found she wasn’t scared. (to find) 6. He acted according to his conviction. He understood that nobody cared for his opinion. (only to understand) 7. Jim approached the village. He heard a strange sound coming from the forest. (to hear) 8. Peter joined his friends. He saw that it was unnecessary. (to see) 9. Iris left the house. She never returned there. (to return) 10. She looked at her face attentively. She saw that she resembled her mother. (to see) 11. He married her. He understood that they couldn’t get along together. (only to understand)

Exercise 93. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Наши друзья навестили нас прошлым летом и больше не приезжали к нам после этого. 2. Он проснулся рано утром и увидел, что комната была пуста. 3. Он однажды объяснился ей в любви и больше никогда не произносил этих слов. 4. Отец дал ему мудрый совет, но лишь убедился, что сын не намерен прислушиваться к его совету. 5. Он удивленно посмотрел на нее и обнаружил, что все сказанное им не вызывало в ней даже раздражения. 6. Дэн закончил играть и увидел, что публика была в восторге. 7. Она улыбнулась и поняла, что ее улыбка вызывает у него восхищение. 8. Дети прибежали в комнату и увидели, что там полно гостей. 9. Она сказала ему все об их отношениях и больше никогда не возвращалась к этой теме.

Unit 13