3) Adverbial modifier of comparison

The infinitive as an adverbial modifier of comparison is introduced by the conjunctions as if and as though:

• She answered sharply as if to challenge him.

• As though to remind him, the clock began to chime.

4) Adverbial modifier of attendant circumstances

The infinitive in this function expresses a sequel to the event expressed by the finite verb. There are two types of structures found here:

a) with only — to introduce something which happens immediately and which you find surprising or unfortunate:

• I finally found my watch, only to discover that it had stopped.

' They came to the shore, only to discover that all their things had been stolen.

b) without only:

• She came to the hospital to be told that her husband was better.

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Минченков А. Г.

Verbals

Note: In modern English this use is mostly confined to such verbs as find, learn, hear, see, be told, etc., as otherwise there may be a confusion between this function and the infinitive to denote purpose. Consider the following example:

• She went to London to stay there for a year.

There are two possible interpretations here:

• She went to London in order to stay there.

• She went to London and stayed there.

3.8. Parenthesis

Certain infinitive phrases can function as parenthesis. These phrases

include:

to start with to tell you the truth

so to speak to be more exact

not to speak of to say nothing (the least) of

to be (perfectly) frank to put it mildly/simply/briefly

to be honest needless to say

to be fair to cut a long story short

Needless to say, it infuriated him.

Her comments were tactless, to say the least.

4. The split infinitive

If we have an adverb modifying the infinitive, it is usually placed after the infinitive, or after the object, if there is one:

• He tried to leave quietly.

• We will have to do it immediately.

However, it is rather common for some people to put the adverb between the infinitive and its to in informal speech:

• She is too honest to even think of that.

• He promised to really try.

This phenomenon is called the split infinitive. There are linguists who disapprove of this use, saying that it is incorrect. On the whole, it is safer not to split the infinitive, and in many cases we can avoid it:

• He wanted them to quickly make up their minds (=> 'He wanted them to make up their minds quickly').

Yet, there are sentences in which the split infinitive is the only possible variant, for otherwise we would have to change the meaning:

• Perhaps you would tell them to kindly stop it.