Without preposition ‘for’ a predicative complex can function as a complex object or a complex subject.

object: Actually, I expect you to read it. (= that you’ll read it.)

subject: You are sure to like it. (= I’m sure that you will like it.)

We use a predicative complex or a subordinate clause if the predicate of the sentence and the infinitive have different subjects. Compare the ways we express the purpose:

He wrote down the telephone number so as not to forget it.

He wrote down the telephone number for me not to forget it.

He wrote down the telephone number so that I wouldn’t forget it.

We normally translate predicative complexes into Ukrainian using subordinate clauses. e.g.: He wrote down his telephone number for me not to forget it. = Він записав телефонний номер, щоб я його не забула. Nevertheless, some patterns have similar ones in Ukrainian.

e.g.: He asked me to come. = Він попросив мене прийти.

He made me come. = Він змусив мене прийти.

	independent infinitive	wh-phrase	prepositional predicative complex (PC)	PC without prep-n
Subject	To do it was easy. It was easy to do it.	How to get there is a secret.	It’s easy for him to win. It’s nice of her to do it.	He seems to be sleeping.
Predicative	My aim is to win.	The secret is how to get there.	The plan is for them to come and arrange it.
Second. pred-ve	He is hard to talk to
aspect pred-te	They began to talk start, cease, continue
modal pred-te	I can dance well. You ought to go.
pred-te	Why not go there.
Object(what?)	I’m glad to see you. I find it easy to do it. I offered to help.	He doesn’t know how to get there.	I’m waiting for him to come.	I saw him enter the house
At-bute (what kind of)	He’s a man to trust. I have nobody to talk to.	I have no idea what to buy her.	There’s nothing for him to do here.
adv mod. of result	He’s too old to work. Would you be so kind as to help me?		The dress is cheap enough for me to buy it
purpose (why?)	He went to Africa to go on Safari.		Take a gun for you to feel safe.
at-ant circum.	He went to Africa only to die there.		He left for me to lose him forever.
comparison	To give is better than to take.		It’s better than for you to cook
exception	There’s nothing to do but wait.
parenthesis	To be frank,I don’t like it.

_________________________ Practical Grammar

Group Second Year Term 2

Test 1 ‘The Infinitive’

I. Choose the correct variant

1. You should … the truth.

a) to tell; b) told; c) have told.

2. Write it down … forget.

a) so as not to; b) not to; c) so that not to

3. I didn't mention it because I didn’t want... about it.

a) he got angry; b) him to get angry; c) him get angry.

4. They did their best for... the champion.

a) their son becomes; b) their son become; c) their son to become.

5. He is said... a quick temper when he was a boy.

a) tohad; b) to have; c) to have had.

6. She is... not to say a thing like that in public. I don’t believe that she said it.

a) enough clever; b) clever enough; c) too clever.

7. Sometimes you have to pretend... people that you detest.
a) to be liking; b) to like; c) like.

8. It’s unusual... such important facts in his report.

a) for him to overlook; b) of him to overlook; c) for him overlook.

9. Would you be so good as... the news as soon as possible?

a) let me know; b) to let me know; c) let me to know.

10. These documents need... immediately.

a) tobe signed; b) be signed; c) to sign.

11. It was very cold earlier on today but it seems … now.
a) warms up; b) warm up; c) to be warming up.

12. The book is... to read. I’m bored.

a) long enough; b) too long; c) enough long.

13. I’m given a lot of paper work … at the office.

a) tobe done; b) for doing; c) to do.

14. A suspicious young man... the building shortly before the incident.
a) was seen to enter; b) was seen entered; c) was seen enter.

15. I noticed … something into his pocket.

a) him to be putting; b) him put; c) him to put.

16. It was so nice … me flowers.

a) for him to send; b) he send; c) of him to send.

 

 

1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... 11... 12... 14... 15 … 16 …

 

II. State the syntactic functions

a) of infinitives, infinitive phrases or predicative complexes in the quotations:

1. A classic is smth that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.

________________________________________

2. The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.______________

3. Eve was the first woman who ever said, “I’ve got nothing to wear ” and meant it________________________________________

4. You may lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink.

________________________________________

5. To be or not to be is not a question of a compromise. ________________

6. A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.

______________________________________

7. Everything comes to him who knows how to wait. __________________

8. Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.

__________________________________________________________

9. A zoo is an excellent place to study the habits of human beings.

_________________________________

10. If you throw mud, you are sure to slip in it. _______________________

11. Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.

____________________________________

12. Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.

____________________________________

13. Experience is said to be a comb which nature gives us when we are bald.

______________________________________

14. Each bird loves to hear himself sing. ______________________________

15. If you have no friends to give you advice, there may be a pillow for you to take counsel of. ______________________________________________

b) Underline 5 infinitives, infinitive phrases or predicative complexes with the infinitive in the following text and state their functions.

Hi Mary,

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while - the new job is keeping me busy. I'm working as a receptionist. It was nice of Michel to find this job for me. But frankly speaking, I didn't expect it to be so demanding. Some of the bills are quite complicated to work out. Nevertheless, it's great that I have a job. My aim is to save $500 by the end of the holidays. Then, I'll have two weeks free and there will be time for us to enjoy ourselves too. Think about it. Erica

III. Add particle ‘to’ where required.

Two friends, Alex and Megan, are talking.

A: Megan, where were you last night? James says he didn't see you... come in to the party.

M: Yes, Alex, that's right. I'm sorry. My parents wouldn't... let me... come out last night. I wanted... see you - honestly I did.

A: Why did your parents make you... stay in? They usually allow you... go out in the evenings, don't they?

M: Yes, but I hadn't finished doing my homework. And I was made... stay in until I had. I had nothing... do but... obey.

A: Oh dear, poor you. Well, let's... do something tonight instead.

M: OK. Actually, I'd like... see that new film.

A: Would you? The film is said... be quite good but I'd rather just... go out to the cafe. We’ll have a chance... talk properly.

M: Well, why not... go to the early showing of the film and then... go to the cafe.

A: I'm not sure I can... afford... go to the cinema.

M: That's all right. I've got some money. So, we’ll meet at six o'clock in the cinema, if you don’t mind. I'll try... get there a bit earlier and... buy the tickets.

IV. Fill in the correct form of the infinitive:

1. I saw them …................................ (get) into the taxi and............. (leave).

2. He didn’t seem …................................ (notice) that it was raining heavily.

3. Your course paper was supposed..................................… (finish) by now.

4. Ann seems ….......................................................................... (daydream).

5. She is sure …...................................................... (arrive) by the next train.

6. This carpet is filthy. It really needs ….................................... (clean) soon.

7. The climate is said ….................................. (get) warmer with every year.

8. He appears ….................................................... (injure) badly in the fight.

9. There are pools everywhere. It seems ….................................. (rain) hard.

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

11. She seems...................................................… (work) too hard these days.

12. Sharon tends ….............. (tell) lies. She is not the one …................. (trust).

13. Don’t make me.................... (laugh). You don’t let me.................. (work).

14. You were surfing the Net but you should........................................ (work).

V. Replace the group of words in italics by an infinitive or an infinitive complex as in the examples below.

a) Threats don't work with the person who's got nothing that he could lose.-

Threats don't work with the person who's got nothing to lose.

b) It is likely he’ll catch the train if he starts right now. –

He is likely to catch the train if he starts right now.

1. What’s the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet which you could put it on?_... a tolerable planet ____________________________

2. It is said that the dinosaur was rather a stupid animal.

The dinosaur ___________________________________________________

3. He wanted that I should learn Spanish.

He wanted _____________________________________________________

4. He was playing very softly so that he wouldn’t disturb anyone.

He was playing very softly _______________________________________

5. I lied to the police. That was stupid.

It was stupid ____________________________________________________

6. They robbed a bank. Somebody saw it.

They _______________________________________________________

7. You aren’t very old; you can’t understand these things.

You aren’t ____________________________________________________

8. He reached the station exhausted and was very disappointed when he learnt that the train had just left.... exhausted _______________________________

that the train had just left.

9. I heard that he said it. _ I heard ____________________________________

10. There are some candidates here, which you should talk to.

There are some candidates here_________________________________

11. I’m sure that you will like the film.

You_______________________________________________________

12. I don’t know where I can buy the tickets. I don’t know ___________________

VI. Say it in English using infinitives.

1. Я бачила, що вона сіла в таксі.

I saw______________________________________________________

2. Він домовився, що хтось підвезе її в аеропорт.

He arranged ________________________________________________.

3. Погода була достатньо теплою, щоб не вдягати пальта.

The weather _______________________________________________

4. Вона подумала, що виліт ймовірно (likely) буде затримано через туман.

She thought the flight ________________________________________

5. Вона останньою сідала (to board) в літак.

She was ___________________________________________________

6. Діти шуміли і не давали їй заснути.

The children made noise and __________________________________

7. Дітей було неможливо заспокоїти. (to calm down)

The children________________________________________________

8. Було б нерозумно з її боку сердитись.

It_________________________________________________________

9. Очікувалось, що переліт займе близько години.

The flight___________________________________________________

10. Було декілька проблем, які вона мала обміркувати.

There_____________________________________________________

VII. Make up a story using infinitives and infinitive complexes.

to sit in a pram and look around; to do some shopping. to wait for; to waste time; to go into the shop; to go on to investigate the world; passers-by; to walk all by himself; proved to be; to be careful; to stop; to walk across the street; a long and dark tube; brave; to step inside and walk through the tube; to go back; to worry about him; to come out of the shop; pretended

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