V. Particle «to» instead of the Infinitive

1. Particle «to» may be used so that to avoid the whole infinitive construction.

* I went there because I wanted to ( = because I wanted to go there). –

Я пошел туда потому, что мне так хотелось.

2. Particle «to» may be omitted after nouns, adjectives and some verbs.

* He`ll never leave home: he hasn`t got the courage (to). –

Он никогда не уедет из дома: у него не хватит смелости (сделать это).

* I think he should get a job, but you can`t force him to if he isn`t ready (to). – Я думаю, что ему следует взяться за работу, но его никто не сможет заставить это сделать, если он не готов к этому.

* - Can you drive the car? – Ты умеешь водить машину?

- O.K., I`ll try. – О.к. Я постараюсь.

3. Particle «to» can`t be omitted after want and would like:

* -Are you interested in entering the University? – Ты заинтересован в том, чтобы поступить в университет?

- Yes, I`d like to (Not: I would like). – Да, мне бы этого хотелось.

But: Particle «to» is often omitted after want and would like in subordinate clauses:

* Come when you want. – Приходи, когда захочешь.

* I`ve decided to do what I like. – Я решил делать, что мне хочется.

VI. Split Infinitive

Split Infinitive – is the construction where an adverb is used between the particle «to» and the verb.

* He began to slowly get up off the floor. – Он начал медленно вставать с пола.

The Functions of the Infinitive in the Sentence

The Subject

1.

to do sth is (was, will be) necessary

would be impossible

means (meant) a mistake

to do smth

* To get angry was stupid.

* To translate the article was a difficult task.

2 .

The infinitive is used as the subject when the sentence opens with the introductory it which serves as introductory subject .

necessary

is important to do smth

it was interesting to be done

will be easy to be doing smth

simple

nice

* It is useless to discuss this question.

The Predicative

1 .

-------- is

-------- was to do smth

-------- will be to be done

* What I want is to be left alone.

* His hobby is to collect stamps.

2 .

nice

smb is hard

smth was difficult to do (at, with)

pleasant

impossible

* She is nice to work with.

* The house was not easy to find.

Part of a Compound Verbal Predicate (Modal and Aspect).

1. With modal verbs, modal expressions, and verbs expressing modality the infinitive forms part of a Compound Verbal Modal Predicate.

* We mustn`t leave him by himself.

2. With verbs denoting the beginning, duration or end of the action the infinitive forms part of a Compound Verbal Aspect Predicate.

* He began to read this book two days ago.

The Object

1 . promise

offer

remember

forget to do smth

agree to be doing smth

decide to be done

pretend

want

mean

* Helen learned to dance at school.

* We agreed to differ.

2. be glad to do smth

pleased to be doing

astonished to have done

angry to have been doing

delighted to be done

afraid to have been done

* She was pleased to see me.

* They were angry not to have found me there.

* The girl was delighted to have been dancing the whole evening .

The Attribute

The use of the infinitive as an attribute is far more extensive in English than in Russian. In Russian it modifies only abstract nouns, whereas in English it modifies:

1. ordinal numerals

the first

last to do smth

second

* She was the last to take the exam.

* She was the first to see the danger.

* He was the second to cross the finish line.

2. indefinite pronouns

somebody

nobody to do smth

anything

someone

* I have nobody to say a kind word to me.

* I have nothing to give to you.

* Have you anything else to say?

3. class nouns

man

place to do smth

time

thing

* She wasn`t a woman to suffer in silence.

* I haven` t got any time to examine this room.

* It`s just the book to read in the train.

NOTE : The passive infinitive is seldom used in the attributive function . This is why we say “ it is a book to read “ and not “ to be read ”.

Exceptions : there is nothing to be done and nothing to do ; there is something to be said and something to say

NOTE : The attribute passive infinitive may have a future meaning.

* The houses to be built here will be of the same type.

The Adverbial Modifier

1. of Purpose

(in order) to get smth

to do smth (so as) to be given smth

* I have come here to speak to you.

* Sometimes you retreat in order to advance.

2. of Result (after the adverbs too, enough)

old to do smth

( too ) young ( enough ) to be done

easy to have done

difficult to have been done

* I was too busy to see anyone.

* She is old enough to be taken for his mother.

* That girl is stupid enough to have believed every word he said.

3. of Comparison or Manner (after as if, as though)

* He moved his hands towards his lips as if to stop her.

4. of Attendant Circumstances

* I` m sorry to have raised your expectations only to disappoint them.

The infinitive as Parenthesis

* To speak the truth I was troubled.

* He was rude, to say the least of it.

* To cut a long story short ...(Короче говоря ...)

* To say nothing ... (Не говоря уже ...)

COMPLEXES with the INFINITIVE

The infinitive may have a subject of its own within the sentence. In this case it forms with it a construction called a complex . The relations between the elements of the complex are predicative. The infinitive forms three such complexes.

THE COMPLEX OBJECT

(The Objective with the Infinitive Construction. The Accusative with the Infinitive.)

This complex consists of a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case and the infinitive mostly Indefinite or Passive . This complex is always an object in the sentence. It is mostly translated into Russian by an object clause.

It is used after verbs denoting:

a) sense perception

to see

to hear smb do smth

to notice

to watch

to feel

* I saw Brown enter the room.

* I felt the blush rush into my cheeks.

b) mental activity

to know

to think smb to do smth

to consider

to believe

* Everybody expected Pete to marry Ann.

c) declaring

to pronounce smb to do smth

to declare

* She declared him to be a pleasant child.

d) wish and desire

to wish smb to do smth

to desire

to mean

to intend

* I don`t mean you to learn this poem by heart.

* I want you to come and dine with us.

e) emotion

to like smb to do smth

to dislike

to hate

to bare

* I dislike you to talk like that.

* I cannot bear you to speak of that.

f) order and permission

to allow smb to do smth

to permit

to forbid

to let smb do smth

* He ordered his luggage to be ready early in the morning.

g) compulsion

to make smb do smth

to have ( распорядиться )

* We had her do the work at once.

to cause (заставлять) smb to do smth

to get (заставлять, убеждать)

* He caused her to do that.

* I cannot get her to finish her lessons.

THE COMPLEX SUBJECT

(The Subjective with the Infinitive Construction. The Nominative with the Infinitive.)

The complex consists of a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the nominative caseand any of the six forms of the infinitive. The complex is considered to be the subject of the sentence. Its Russian equivalent is in most cases a subordinate clause.

* She was seen to leave the house.

Видели, как (что) она выходила из дома.

or

Ее видели, когда она выходила из дома.

1.

seen

is heard

smb was expected to do smth

will be told to be done

ordered

asked

allowed

The Russian equivalent is: кого - то видели ..., кому - то позволили ...

* The rider was seen to disappear in the distance.

* She was expected to be back any minute.

2.

considered to do smth

is known to be done

smb was supposed to be doing

will be believed to have done

reported to have been done

said to have been doing

The Russian equivalent is: считали, что ...; полагали, что ...

* He was thought to be clever and kind.

* She is supposed to have been taken to hospital.

3.

sure to do smth

is certain to be doing smth

smb was bound to be done

will be (not) likely to have done smth

to have been doing smth

to have been done

The Russian equivalent is: конечно, обязательно, вряд ли, непременно...

* He is sure to marry her.

* The old man wasn`t likely to have made a mistake.

* The film is bound to be remembered.

4.

seems , seemed , will seem to do smth

appears , appeared , will appear to be done

smb happens , happened , will happen to be doing smth

------ proved , will prove to have done smth

------ turned out , will turn out to have been doing smth

The Russian equivalents are : seem , appear - казаться

happen - случаться

prove , turned out - оказаться

* They seemed to have quite forgotten him already.

* The experiment proved to be a failure.

NOTE: The negative statement is formed by adding the negation to the predicate and not to the infinitive.

* He doesn`t seem to know it.

THE FOR - PHRASE

The for - phrase consists of three elements: the preposition for, a noun in the common case or a pronoun in the objective case and an infinitive. The for - phrase has different syntactical functions in the sentence.

The Subject

1.

hard

easy

it is good for smb to do smth

was bad for smb to be doing smth

will be important for smth to be done

impossible

not

* It will be best for her to go back home.

* It`s silly for you to be asking me questions.

* It`s not for me to say so.

2.

nice

kind

it is sensible of smb to do smth

was silly

will be stupid

tactless

* It was silly of you to ask that question.

* It`s nice of you to say so.

The Object

1.

to long

to wait

to arrange for smb to do smth

to mean

to be anxious

* I have arranged for you to have a private room.

* I`m anxious for you to succeed.

2.

difficult

to make easy

to think it necessary for smb to do smth

to believe important

best

* He thinks it best for you to stay here.

The Attribute

1.

somebody

nothing for smb to do smth

anyone

* There is no one for the children to play with.

* There is nothing else for me to say.

2.

man

thing for smb to do smth

time

place

* It si not the right time for us to speak about it.

* It was the only thing for me to do.

The Adverbial Modifier

1. of Purpose

to do smth for smb to do smth

* He stood aside for us to pass.

2. of Result

easy

( too ) difficult ( enough ) for smb to do smth

young

old

* The day was too cold for anybody to have a good time.